Catalog
450 Scudi
| Issuer | S. Monte della Pietà di Roma |
|---|---|
| Year | 1788 |
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| Value | 450 Scudi |
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| Obverse description | Letterpress cedola of the S. Monte della Pietà di Roma, set within a decorative engraved border enclosing the principal text in Italian; the denomination '450' appears in a ruled panel at upper centre, with the institution's name in large display type immediately below. The body text in roman type declares the note's validity for 450 Roman Scudi at ten giulj per scudo, payable to the bearer throughout the Stato Ecclesiastico. Manuscript annotations — including the full date written out in words, serial number, and official signatures — are entered in the margins and body of the printed form. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | 450 SETTE GENNARO MILLE SETTECENTO OTTANTOTTO S. M. DI PIETA DI ROMA La presente Cedola vaglia Scudi Romani Quattrocentocinquanta da giulj dieci per Scudo da pagarsi all` Esibitore. |
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| Comments |
The Monte di Pietà in Rome was one of the oldest pawnbroking institutions in Europe, established in the late fifteenth century under papal authority to provide credit to the poor as an alternative to moneylenders. By the late eighteenth century it had evolved into a significant financial institution, and its fede di credito notes — of which this is an example — functioned as a genuine circulating currency within the Papal States, accepted for commercial transactions well beyond their original redemption purpose.
The 450 Scudi denomination places this squarely in high-value commercial use. Surviving examples from this institution are uncommon; many were redeemed and cancelled in the normal course of business.