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89 Scudi Bank of the Holy Spirit of Rome - Pope Pius VI
| Issuer | Banco di S. Spirito di Roma |
|---|---|
| Year | 1796 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | ADI PRIMO MARZO MDCC XCVI SCUDI 89 MONETA BANCO DI S. SPIRITO DI ROMA La presente Cedola vaglia Scudi Ottantanove Moneta Romana da giulj X per Scudo da pagarsi all' Esibittore. VAGLIAPERLOSTATOECCLESIASTICOR 43 CASTILLIONAE JOHANNES |
| Reverse description | The reverse of this cedola is unprinted, presenting a plain paper surface consistent with eighteenth-century Papal States bearer note production practice, with possible manuscript or stamp endorsements typical of notes that circulated through ecclesiastical treasury channels. |
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| Comments |
The Banco di Santo Spirito, founded by papal decree in 1605, is among the oldest chartered banks in European history. By 1796 it was operating under severe strain — the French Revolutionary Wars had devastated Papal finances, and forced contributions extracted by Napoleon's army following the Armistice of Bologna left the Holy See struggling to meet basic obligations. Notes of this period were issued partly to manage a liquidity crisis the bank had no conventional means of resolving.
The 89-scudo denomination is awkward enough to suggest it arose from a specific debt settlement or account reconciliation rather than routine monetary policy. Round-figure notes were the norm; odd denominations like this one typically trace back to a ledger entry, not a denomination plan.