Catalog
130 Scudi
| Issuer | Sacro Monte della Pietà di Roma |
|---|---|
| Year | 1788 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain paper reverse divided into four quadrants by fold lines, each quadrant bearing a letterpress-printed denomination cartouche reading J30 within ruled borders. Manuscript endorsements, transfer notations, and handwritten names appear in each quadrant, recording successive holders or transactions; the lower portions show remnants of printed text from the sheet edge. |
| Reverse lettering | 130 |
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| Comments |
The Sacro Monte della Pietà di Roma was one of the oldest pawnbroking institutions in Europe, established in 1539 under papal authority to provide low-interest loans to the poor as an alternative to usurious moneylenders. By the eighteenth century it had evolved into a significant deposit bank, issuing fede di credito — essentially bearer certificates — that circulated as de facto currency among merchants and the Roman nobility.
The 130 Scudi denomination is an odd figure, almost certainly reflecting the face value of a specific pledged asset rather than a round monetary unit, which points to this note's origins in collateralized lending rather than orthodox banking.