World Coins Dictionary of Numismatic Names P.

Pacheia, llocxs'* Spa-/[;.i], or "Heavy
drachm," the term given by tlie Athenians
to the Aeginetan Drachm, which weighed
about two grammes more than their own.
This name has also been applied to Didraehms
in contradistinction to the
Drachms.
Pada. Authorities differ as to whether
this is a weight or a coin. In the Maha
Vagga, edited by Mr. Dickson in the Journal
of the Royal Askitic Society (1875),
occurs a liturgy used at the admission of
laj-men to the Buddhist order of mendicants,
and he translates Pada as the quarter
of a Pagoda. Other writers recognize
it as a weight of small value. For a full
account of this subject, the reader is referred
to the work by Rhys Davids (sec. 4).
Padaka. A copper coin of Kaschmir of
the Gonerdiva and Gupta dvnasties. See
Fonrobert (2396-2400).
Padens. See Badam.
Padiglione. The Italian name for the
Pavilion d'Or (q.P.).
Padika, another name for the Tang-Ka,
a silver coin of ancient India. The woi'd
means "one fourth," and is used to inilicate
tiie (|tiarter of Karslia. Sec Pana.
Padma Tanka, or Lotus Coin. A jiame
given to a gold coin of Soutiiern India,
concave in shape and averaging about fiftyeight
grains. Tiieir peculiar form connects
them with the coinage of the Western
Chalukya dynasty of Kalyani, but their
date cannot be determined with accuracy,
tliongh it is later than the si.xth century.
'i'iie obverse shows a seven-i)etalled lotus
flower, and the reverse is blank.
Paduans. The general name for counterfeits
of ancient coins, especially the Roman
first bronzes; they were extcMisively
mannfactured by Cavino and Bassiano of
Padiia. abiiiit Ihc luiddle nl' the sixteenth
century.
[1
Pagoda. A name given to both a gold
and silver coin current in Madras, Chandergerry,
and manj' parts of Southern
India. For an exteusive history of the
derivation of the term see Thurston (p.
11).
The Tamil name is Varaha, i.e., a boar,
due to the circumstance that some of the
older types had on the obverse the figure
of this animal. The Hindustani name of
the Pagoda is Hun, a word probably
derived from Homiu, the Kanarese name
for the half Pagoda. See Pana.
The modern Pagoda can be traced to the
early part of the seventeenth century and
among the more i)rominent varieties are
the Lakshmi, the Swami, the Star, and the
Porto Novo Pagoda, all of which are separately
referred to.
The divisions of the Pagoda are usually
com])uted as follows
:
20 Kas - 1 Fela.
4 Falus — 1 Fanara.
42 Fanams = 1 Pagoda.
"But," says Codrington (p. 121), "owing
to attempts made by orders to equalize
the currencies of the Presidencies, the relative
value of the coins became altered,
and we have copper coins of Madras with
a variety of legeiuls stating their value."
The French equivalent, Pagode, is applied
to a gold coin struck in the reign
of Louis X^' for Poiulicherv. See Zay
(p. 298).
The Dutch introduced the Pagoda at
Paliakate in the latter part of the seventeenth
century, and rated it at one hundred
and twenty Sous. Tavernier, in his
Voyayca, Paris, 1676, describes it.
Pai, iir Phai. A Siamese copper coin,
the one tiiirty-second i)art of the Tical
iq.v.), and conf. Suka.
Paisa, of Paissah. A copper coin of
llindiisfMH, frei|ii(Mitly referred to as Pice,
though Paisii is |)robably the older name.
It is foinid existing as far back as the
sixteentii century. The value varied, being
from forty to eighty to the Rupee.
68 ]
Pala Panterino
Tlie minor cninaj^o of Mysore, under
Tipii Siiltan, is usually classified by this
name.
In Mombasa, Zanzibar, and German East
Africa, tlie Paisa, also called Pysa, has
been introduced since 1881. Conf. also
P.aisa.
Pala. The name jriven to both a o^old
and silver denomination of ancient India.
See Pana.
Palanca. The popular name given to
all coins of the value of one Soldo, in
Liguria, Tuscany, and Venice.
Pallades. Greek coins (particularly
those of Athens) with the head of Pallas
are thus referred to.
Palladium. An attempt has been made
to utilize this rare element for medallic
inirposes. A communication to the Revue
Bcli/e de Numismntique, 1869 (p. 477),
states that Sir Thomas Graham, Comptroller
of the En<rlish Mint, struck a medal
of i)alladium alloyed with gold, silver, or
nickel.
Palpa. Promis (ii. 34) cites this as a
coin of Milan referred to in an ordinance
of 1473 of the Duke of Savoy ; Du Cange
finds "Palpas"' in another monetarj- ordinance
of 1465.
Pana. An early copper coin of Ceylon.
It is referred to in works of the fifth century
and later, and is frei|nently alluded
to under the name of Kahapana.
The English traveller, Robei't Knox, who
was in Ceylon from 1659 to 1679, and
who.se writings were published in 1681 b.y
oi-der of the East India Company, states
that "the King's proper coin is called a
pounam (panam) ; it is as small as a
spangle ; 75 make a jjiece of eight, or a
Spanish Dollar."" See also Rhvs Davids
(.sees. 14-18).
In the coinage of ancient India the Paiui,
or Karshapana, as it is sometimes called,
was based on the weight of eighty rati
seeds, ecpiivalent to one hundred and fortyfour
grains, or nearly nine and a half
graiinnes. The name, like the Greek
Drachma, means a "handful," and is
derived from paui, the hand. See Cunningham
(pp. 4-5, and 42-44).











Pa-nying Tang-Ka. See Tang-Ka.
Pao. A Chinese word, meaning treasure.
The term is used in conjunction with Tung,
i.e., currency, on coins, forming two of tlie
usual four characters on tlie obverse. Sec
Ho.
Pao. The more recent Chinese word for
Ting in reference to the silver ingot or
shoe. It generally means the fifty Tael
piece. Another name is Yuan Pao, or
I'ound ingot.
Paolino. Another name for the Seudo
d'Oro, struck by Pope Paid III in 15:1.'),
and bearing the figure of St. Paul. It was
originally issued from the mint at Ancona,
then at Rome, and later at Camerino,
Bologna, Perugia, and Parma.
Paolo. An obsolete Papal silver coin
which obtained its name from Pope Paul
III, in whose reign it was originally issued
to rejilacc the older Giulio (q.v.).
In the sixteenth centar3^ it was also
coined in the Duchy of Ferrara, and later
by the Dukes of Tuscany, and in Modena.
Ten Paoli were equal to one Seudo, and
the Paf)lo of Tuscany was the fifth of a
silver Florin. Coiif. also San Paolo and
Paul.
Paparini. A name given to coins issued
in the tliirteenth century, which were made
for the exclusive use of the subjects of the
Popes. They were principally .struck at
Viterbo and JMontefiascone.
The term should not be confused with
the Moneta Papalis, which is used to designate
coins struck at Rome and Avignon
at a later period. See Eivisfa ItaUnna
(xxii. 370, .xxiii. 37).
Paparoni. The term given to certain
coins of the same value as Piceoli in an
ordinance of 1398 of the Archbishop of
Orvieto.
Paper. The earliest use of paper money
is prolialiiy the reference to be found in
the Trdvr'h of Marco Polo (ii. 18), who
states that it was extensively used in China.
Among the obsidional coins Mailliet
(Ixxi. Ixxii.) mentions various denominations
from five to thirty Sols issued at
Leyden when besieged by the Spaniards in
1;')74, which are supposed to have been
madi' fi-oiii the leav<'s of missals. iSVr Sao.
[
Papetto. A small Papal silver coin,
equal to one fifth of the Seudo. It ap-
])ears to have been first issued under Benedict
XIV (1740-1750), and was continued
until the period of Pius IX.
Papineau. A nickname given by the
F'rench-Canadians to the Pennies and half
Peiniies issued by the Bank of Montreal,
City Bank, La Banque du Peuple, and the
Quebec Bank in 1837. Pierre Papineau
was the leader of the rebellion which occurred
in this year. The coins bear on one
side the figure of a native in winter costume.
The value of this Penny was increased
one fifth by an order in the Council,
passed August 30, 1870, which established
a uniform currency of Dollars and
Cents, and converted its purchasing power
at two Cents. See Breton (521-522).
Papione. See Pepion.
Para. Originally a silver coin of the
Ottoman Empire, which came into existence
about A.II. 1066, and eventually took
the place of the Akcheh {q.v.), although
at first it had a value four times as great
as the latter coin.
The Para was made the fortieth part of
the Piastre or Ghrush, a value it has alwa.
ys retained. Some of the earlier issues
are rectangular in form.
The modern Para and its multiples are
of copper and nickel ; it was instituted bv
Abdul Medjid, A.H. 1260, i.e., in 1844.
Ten Paras are today roughly computed as
wortli a Metallik.
Para. The name given to the smallest
copper coin of Servia, adopted in 1867
when that eountrj^ followed the Latin
Union in its monetary system. One hundred
Para are equal to one Dinar. King
Milan issued pieces of five and ten Paras
in nickel in 1883 and later.
The Para of Montenegro has a .somewhat
higher value, as it is the fractional part of
the Perper, which latter has the same value
as the Austrian Krone. Nickel and copper
coins respectively of ten and twenty Paras
in nickel, and one and two Paras in copper,
were struck for Montenegro at the
Paris mint in 1909.
Para. A copper coin of Russia i.ssued
in 1771 and 1772 for Moldavia and Wallachia.
The Para was equal to three Dengi
and tlie double Para to three Kopecks.
170 ]
Parali Pataca
Parali. This was a sulidivision of the
older LiMi of Ronmaiiia. Twenty-eight
Parali were ('(iiial to one Leu, and on the
adoption of tlie decimal system they were
succeeded hy tlie Bani.
Pardao, oi- Pardau. A silver coin
ori|;iiial]y issued undei' John V (1706-
ITSO) for the Portufjuese Indies, and
struck principall}' at Goa.
It was valued at half a Rupia and the
type represents a bust of the ruler on the
obverse and the Portuguese arms on the
revei-se. \'ai'ieties occur with the figures
;{()() stam|)ed on them to indicate their
value in Reis.
Pardaw. A former money of account at
Atjeh. Sec Mas.
Parisis, or Parisis d'Or. A gold coin of
France, originally struck by Philip VI of
Valois (1328-1350). Its name is based on
the fact that the Paris standard was one
fourth al)()ve tliat of Tours. It was retained
in France to the end of the seventeenth
century, but it gradually lost its
technical significance.
A Roval Parisis appeared in the reign
of Philip IV (1285-1314) ; this was of billon.
The Denier Parisis was struck about
the same time, and of the same composition.
Parpagliola. A base silver coin of the
value of two and a half Soldi struck by the
Eni|)eror Charles \' for tlie Duchy of Milan
(1535-1556). Louis Xll of France issued
it for Asti, and William II (1464-1483)
for Casale. At Correggio, under Camillo
of Austria (1597-1606), it had a value of
three Soldi ; it was struck at Montalcino
in Tuscany in 1556 and 1557, and at Miraudola
and Siena about the same time.
iS'( ( h'iisft('(/iia NuinisDiaticn (xi. 31-34).
All of the ])receding are probably copied
from a Swiss coin, known as the Parpaiole,
which continued in use until the sixteenth
century. It was quite common in the canton
of Waadt, under Barthelemi Chuet,
Bishop of Lausanne (1469-1472).
Parruccone. A nickname for the Quadru|)
la d'Oi'o of Charles III of Spain, issued
from 1761 to 1785. The word means a
wig, and the allusion is to the abundance
of hair and curls on the sovereign's head.
[1
Partenope. The popular name for a silver
coin of twelve (larlini, issued in Naples
in 1791 to commemorate the return of the
rulers, Ferdinaiul and Caroline, from tiermany.
Parthenoi, meaning "maidens." A luime
given to the silver coins of Athens, from
the head of Pallas on the obverse.
Passir, probably a corruption of the
French verb passer. A name given to
pieces of brass or copper resembling coins
which had a weight denomination stamped
on them and were used by banks, merchants,
etc., to determine whether a coin
was ecjual to the necessary weight standiird.
A well known example is the brass Louis
d'Or of 1772, stamped passir.
Kelly (p. 8) states that the name Passier
Dukaten was used in Germany to indicate
such Ducats as were deficient in weight or
fineness more than one sixth of a carat.
Pasteboard Coins. See Paper.
Pataca, oi- Patacao. A Portuguese silver
coin of the value of three hiuulred and
twentv Reis, which appeared in the reign
of John IV (1640-1656) after the restoration
of the House of Braganza. There are
doubles and halves of corresponding values.
Teixeira de Aragao (]). 219) mentions
an edict of November 13, 1630, by which
the value of the Pataca was fixed at six
Tangas; this was evidentl.\' for the Portuguese
colonies. This coin is the one referred
to under the name of Patachine bj'
William Barret in his Book of Travels,
1684, who writes of Malacca:
"There is also a sort of silver monj'
which they call Patachines and is worth 6
Tangas of good mony which is 360 reyes
and is stamped with two letters S T which
is St. Thomas on one side and the arms
of Portugall on the other."
In Brazil Meili catalogues specimens as
early as 1695 struck at Bahia, and 1700
struck at Pernambuco. The colonial issues
are frequently eounterstamped with higher
or lower values. See Butaca.
Pataca. In the Neapolitan series this
name was applied to the half of the silver
Ducato (r/.r.), authorized by the ordinance
of April 20, 1818.
Pataca, or Patack. The Species Tlialer
is so called in Abyssinia. See Wakea.
Pataca Chica and Pataca Gourda. Pormei'
money of aooonnt in Algiers. Tlie
fii'st was reckoned at eight. Muznnas of
twenty-nine Aspers, or two hnndred and
tliirty-two Aspers ; and the latter at three
times that amount.
Patacchina, also called Petacchina. A
small silver coin of Genoa issued during
Kejniblican rule in the fourteenth century
and in use until the period of the Sforza
dynasty. Specimens struck under the
French occupation (1396-1409) bear the
divided arms of France and Genoa, or
France and Savoy.
Pataccho. A silver coin of the Principality
of Monaco, which appeared early in
the seventeenth century. Under Onorato
n pieces of four Patacchi were issued from
1640 to 1649 ; they have on the reverse
a cross, formed by four letters H, all
crowned.
Patachine. See Pataca.
Pataco (plural Patacoes). A copper
coin of Portugal, first issued bj' John III,
of a value of ten Reis, and intended as a
substitute for the small silver coins of the
same value. It was revived from about
1811 to 18.S.3 with a value of forty Reis.
Patagon. The name given to the piece
of fifty Stuivers issued in various parts of
Brabant and the Low Countries during the
seventeenth century. The word, like Piefort,
means heav}'.
Pataque. The largest of the silver coins
of the Ottoman Empire. See Yuzlik.
Patard. A silver coin of Flanders, Brabant,
Burgundy, etc., originally issued in
the latter jiart of the fifteentli century.
Its value Huctnated, althongli in the main
it was about ('i|iial to tiie Dutcii Stuiver.
At Liege and Cainbrai the Ecu d 'argent
was equal to thirty or thirty-two Patards.
The Daalder of the Low Countries was
valued at thirty-two Patards, and the gold
Florin at thirty-four.
Patard. A billon coin of France, struck
hv Chai-les VI (i:iS0-1422). and co])ied bv
Charles VII aiul Louis XI. The last
named ruler issued it for Pei-pignan, and
Louis XII for Provence and Milan. See
IlofVmann ( pa.isim )
.
[
Pataz. The Hungarian name for the
Grosehel (q.v.), which was computed at
tliree foiirths of the Kreuzer.
Pathenmiinzen. A term used by German
numismatists for tokens presented at
baptisms by the god-parents or sponsors.
Patina. An oxidation produced by certain
soils and moisture upon copper coins.
This oxidation takes a black, brown, red,
blue, or green color, according to the materials
which have affected tlie surface of
the coins.
Patla. Another name for the gold Mohur
of Nepal, of the weight of half a Tola.
The word means "a thin coin." See Suka.
Patlachte. The name given to cacao
beans which circulated as money among the
ancient Mexicans. See Sicca.
Patolquachtli. Bancroft, in Native
Races of the Pacifi.c States of North America,
1875 (ii. 381-382), states that among
the ancient Mexicans this name was used
for "small pieces of cotton cloth used as
money in the purchase of articles of immediate
necessity or of little value."
Patricius Farthing. A copper coin of
Ireland, struck in 1463 by Germ.yn Lynch,
the warden of the mints at Dublin and
Trim.
The obverse has a bishop's head, with
the inscription patricivs, and tlie reverse
a cross pattee, with salvator.
Patrick. At a Parliament held at Droglieda,
1460, before Richard, Duke of York,
Lord Lieutenant, it was enacted that "a
l)roper coin separate from the coin of England
was with more convenience agreed to
be had in Ireland," and among the pro-
])osed coins was one "having imprinted on
one part of it a crown, and on the other
part a cross, called a Patrick, of which
eight shall pass for one Denier." See
Ruding (i. 278).
This probably refers to a eopjier half
Farthing issued by Henry VI for Ireland,
which bears the inscription Patkik.
Patriotenthaler. See Pelikanthaler.
Pattacona. A nickname given in Istria
to the Austro-IIungai-ian co|)i)er coin of
lour Kreuwr which was abolished about
1890. It is probably a corrui)tion of Patagon
{q.V.}.
172]
Patte d'oie Pelavillano
Patte d'oie. A lumic <iivpii to a v<aripty
of till' (ii'iis P.laiu' a la timv do lis, issucil
by .loliii II of VvHuvv (l:{r)()-i:5(34). It lias
flu' word FRANC ill hirfrc letters liorizoiitally
across the reverse. 8ee Iloffmami (49, 50).
Pattern. A sui;<;ested desi<,'n, wliieli may
or may not be adopted. Pattei'ii pieees arc
those for wliieli the dies have been desijiiied
and eu't foi- a pro])osed eoinatre. These
models are afterwards submitted to the
mint authorities for ajiproval and have
been discarded by them for various rea-
.sons.
Paul. An olisolete Enirlisli term for tJie
Paolo {(/.('.).
Sterne, in Tristniiii SIttindij (i.K. 24),
says: "1 paid five Pauls for two hard
ejrfrs;" and James Ru.ssell Lowell in his
Juurnnl in Ifnlif remarks: "You jrive the
ciistode a jiaul for showin<!: you the wolf
that suckled Romulus and Renuis.
"
Paulah. A cojiper coin of Hindustan
and eipial to one fourth of the Dam (q.v.).
Paunchea, (U' Paunschih. A former
money of account of Bombay, etc., computed
at five Rupees. See Mohnr.
Pavali. Lewis Rice in the Mysore Gazetteer,
1877 (p. 8), states that a silver coin
of this name, and of the value of one ipiarter
Rupee, was in circulation in the abovementioned
year.
Pavilion d'Or. A <;-ol(l coin of France,
issued by Philip VI of Valois (1328-1350).
It receives its name from the canopy or
tent under whieii the Kinj? is seated. It
was copied by Edward the Black Prince
in the Anjrlo-Gallic series, and struck at
Piordeaux.
Pax Type. A desif;-nation employed to
classify Englisii silver coins. The coins of
Harold II all have pax across the reverse,
which device was copied to some extent on
the pennies of William I. These have the
letters pax.s (perhaps sifrnifyint;- pax sit),
in the angles of the cross.
Pe. See Prak Pe.
Peack. A corruption of Wompompeeke,
a variety of Wam])um. See Roanoake.

Peca. A Portuguese gold coin of six thousand and four hundred Reis, or four Escudos, introduced in 1750, and representing a reduced form of the Dobra. (q.r.). It circulated extensively in Brazil and was struck at Rio and Bahia.

Pecco. See Bahar.
Pecunia. The Latin name for money,
derived from peeii.s, a Hock of sliee]i or a
herd of cattle. This indicates that animals
wei-e the earliest mediums of exehaufre.
See Homer, Iliad (vi. 23.")). In the third
century tiie word was used to define the
Ronum copj)er money.
In the Domcsdau Hook, issued ciren
1086, the word is used for cattle almost
iiiiix'ersally, and in a few instances it has
the iiieaniiiu- of possessions or personal
property.
Pecunia Major. See ilajoriiia.
Pecuniola. Du Canjje cites an ordinanee
of KiOO in which this word is used as a
diminutive of Pecunia and is specially ap-
|)lie(l to copper coins.
Peerdeke. A base silver coin issued at
Nimepue, Zutjilien, Zwolle, Groninp:eii,
Roermond, etc., duriiii>- the sixteenth century.
Its value varied slifrhtly, beinfr fnmi
one lialf to one third of the Esealin or
Snaphaan. The name, like that of the
Cavallo (q.v.), appears to be derived from
the fi<;ure of the runniuf:i: horse on the obverse.
See v.d. Chijs (passim).
Pegasi. A popular name for Greek
coins of Corintli, Syracuse, etc., bearin<r a
tiffure of Pcfrasus. They are also variou.sly
known as Polos and Pullus. Conf. Greek
Pegione. A silver coin of the Grosso
t\pe of the Visconti, Dukes of Milan. It
appeared first in the reij>ii of (Jaleaz/.o II
and Harnabo Visconti ( 1354-137S),aii(l was
continued to the end of the fifteenth century.
The types show a fi<!;ure of St. Ambrosius,
usually seated, with a triplethonjred
whip in his hand. See Ambrosino.
The luime is variously spelled Pejrioiie,
Pifjione, and Picchione, and the etymolofry
is uncertain. It is of tiie value of one and
one half Soldi.
Pei. The Chinese name foi- the Cowrie
(q.v.).
Pelanor (lU/^avop, OlXavo;). The Greek
name for the iron bars lonji; used as money
at Sparta and othiM' [ihiees in aneieiit
Gi'eece.
Pelavillano. See Poillevillain.
Pelegrini. See Foghetti.
Pelf, i)rohably allied to pilfer, means
money or rielies, Init it often conveys the
idea of something: ill-gotten or worthless.
It was in use as early as the begimiing
of the sixteenth century, and Spenser, in
the Fairie Queene, 1590 (iii. ix. 4), has
the line, "But all his mind is set on mucky
pelf."
Pelhauquins. The name given to certain
leaden jetons or tokens used for games
and i.ssued during the second half of the
fourteenth century. They are described in
detail by Adrien Blanchet in the Procesverhavx
de la Societe Franqaisc de Numismiitique.
1907 (xxxix.).
Pelikanthaler. The name given to a
Tiialer struck by Henry Julius, Duke of
Bnmswick-Liineburg in 1599. It bears on
the reverse the figure of a pelican feeding
its young, and the inscription pro arts et
Fons, i.e., "for home and hearth;" from
this it is also known as the Patriotenthaler.
For details, including the legend formci-
ly current, that the pelican fed its offspring
by tearing its own breast, cunf.
Madai.
Pelliculati. See Plated Coins.
Pempobolon (xsij,xto(ioXov). Another
form of till' word Pentobolon (q.i<.).
Penabad. The half Kran in the coinage
of modern Persia. See Kran.
Pengar. The Swedish name for money
in general ; it is derived from Penning,
Pfennig, etc.
Penge. A Danish word for money in
general.
Penni. A copper coin of Finland, the
one hundredtli part of the Markka. There
are multiph's of five and ten Pennia.
Penning. Tlie Dutch ecpiivalent of
Pfennig (f/.i'.), and applied to the Denier.
Tiiere were special issues for Brabant and
tlie Low Countries called Penning van een
en een halven (one and one iudf) Groot;
Penning van Twee Grooten (i.e., Stniver) ;
Penidng van Drie (irooten (i.e., Mechelaar,
and later called Tweeblankspenning) ;
Penning van Ses (six) (Jrooten, etc.
Penny (plural, Peimies and Pence). An
English coin, the twelftli i^art of a Shilling.
It succeeded the Denarius or Denier
of the Anglo-Saxons since the eighth cen-
[1
tury and from this circumstance probably
retained the abbreviation D or d.
Offa, King of Mercia (757-796) is the
first king to whom any silver Peiniies can
be attributed witli certainty; and from
this time this coin remained the basis iintil
the introduction of the Groat and half
Groat by Edward III. The type is almost
uniformly with a portrait on one side and
a long or short cross with pellets in the
angles on the reverse.
In 1257 Henry III struck a gold Penny,
which was first valued at twenty silver
Pennies and later at twenty-four; it
weiglied forty-five and one quarter grains.
"This piece," says Ruding, "was properly
a Ryal, and the first of the sort coined in
Europe : the petit Ryal of Philip le Bel
l)eing much in imitation of it, and he was
the first King of France who coined Ryals.
" »SVe Jaku.
The silver Pennies struck for Ireland
frecpiently have the l)ust of the King in
a triangle ; those for Scotland were called
Sterlings (q.v.).
Thirds of Pennies are mentioned in the
laws of Aelfred (872-901), and the half
Pennies of Edward the Confessor may be
actually thirds of Pennies, as they weigh
from seven to nine grains.
The earliest specimen of an English copper
Penny is one dated 1601, which was
evidently intended for a pattern. The obverse
has a bust portrait of Elizabeth with
tlie words the. pledge. of. On the reverse
is the royal monogram crowned, with
the date and the inscription A. penny.
Tlie half Penny is not dated; it has the
royal monogram on one side and a rose
crowned on the other.
Montagu's work cites the long series of
copper Pennies and half Pence which subsequently
appeared, and the reader is referred
to this book.
For many of the British colonies and
|)o.sse.ssions Pennies and liajf Pence were
also struck, and for Soiitliern Nigeria Pennies
in nickel and one fcnlh P(M]nies in
aluminium were issued, both perforated.
See Pfennig.
Penny Poize. An early English weight
standard used for discovei'iiig the lack of
projier weigiit in the coins. An ordinance
of the year 1205 states tliat "there was
issued, from the mint office, a penny-poize,
74]
Penny Yard Pence Perkin Warbeck Groat
waiitiiifr Olio cifrlitli of a penny, to be dclivort'd
to any one who would liave it, to
he used until Easter in the next year."
Kudini; (i. 211) states that about the
year l.'ilJl, "a curious kind of fraud was
devised by Salamon de Ripple, a monk of
the Abbey of St. Augustin in C'anterbury,
and receiver of the tenth and tifteenth in
that diocese, as deputy for the abbot. He
framed a balance, which he called a penny
pise, and liavini;' selected twenty shilliufjs
in old and heavy pennies, he weighed
ajjainst them the money which he received;
by which means those wlio thought to pay
only twenty shilliiigs were forced to pay
five shillings more, or three shillings and
foui-pence at the least. At length a eomjilaint
from the whole diocese was laid before
the council, and the king gave order
foi- (iropcr in((uiry to be made; in eonseipience
of which the abbot was fined eighty
pounds, for the offence committed by his
dejiuty, and was obliged to refund what
had been unjustly taken, although it was
done without his knowledge."
Penny Yard Pence. Berry, Encijclopncdia
llrriddica, 1828, states that certain
varieties of silver Pennies receive this
name, "from the place where they were
coined, which is supposed to have been at
Penny Yard f'astle, near Ross, in llerct'oi-
dshii-c.
Pentadrachm. A Greek silver coin of
the value of five Drachms {q.v.). It was
rarely struck, though specimens issued by
the early kings of Macedonia are known.
A gold Pentadrachm was issued for Egvpt
l.y Ptolemy 1 Soter (B.C. .323-284) and
Ptolemy li Philadelphus (B.f. 284-247).
Pentalitron, or five Litra (q.v.) piece,
was struck in silver at Agrigentum.
Pentanummion. A name given to the
eighth part of the Follis, consisting of five
Nnmnd.
Pentastater (-evTaaTaxYipo?) are mentioned
by Pollu.x. They are the gold Deeadraclims
of Berenice of Egypt.
Pentechalkon. A Greek silver coin of
the value of five times the Chalcus, or five
eighths of the Olml iq.v.).
Pentecontadrachm ( j:£VTr)y.ov:a5pa);|xov)
,
or fifty Drachm piece, is mentioned by
Pollu.x. There was a gold coin of this
value struck by Alexander the Great and
[17
by several of the Ptolenuiie sovereigns of
Egypt. It is better known to us l)y the
more common name of Distatcr {q:v.),
double Stater, or gold Tctradrachm.
Pentecontalitra. The Sicilian name for
the Dccadi-achm (q.v.). See also Litra.
Pentecostals. Aylitfe, Parcrrjon, 1726
(p. 434), has the following: "Pentecostals,
otherwise called Whitsun Fartiiings, were
Oblations made by the Parishioners to the
Parish Priest at the Feast of Pentecost."
At times they were contributed by inferiiu'
churches or parishes to the pi'incipal
mother church.
Pentobolon. A piece of five Oboli. See
Obol. Specimens of this denomination in
silver were struck at Athens, and in bronze
liy the Ptolemies.
Pentoncion (zsvtwYv.iov), Latin Quincunx.
A multiple of the Uncia (q.v.). It
was struck in silver at Agrigentum and
Leontini, in bronze, at Catania, Khegiuni.
Camarilla, and bv the Mamertines in
Sicily._
Pepion. A billon coin of Castile and
Leon, issued by Ferdinand III and his
successor, Alfcmso X, during the thirteenth
century. It was struck at Burgos. Toledo,
and Cuenea. It is sometimes referred to
by th(> name of Papione.
Pepulea. The name given to coins
struck in Bologna in 13;18 by the Signors
de Pepoli.
Pequenino. A cojiper coin, struck for
Goa and other Portuguese colonies; it is
of the value of half the Bazariicco or Leal.
Percale. The popular name for the
Real, struck in Messina by Peter Til of
Aragon (1282-1285).
Peregozi. .SVc Petragordin.
Perkin Warbeck Groat. In Rudiiig
(Sui)pl. Plate iii. No. .33) is given the representation
of a silver coin which is presumed
to have been struck by the Ducliess
of Burgundy for Pei'kin Warbeck, when
he set out to invade England in the year
14f)5. On what ground this approju-iation
has been made, Ruding was never able to
discover. The coin bears date 1494, but
no evidence whatever of the mint where
it was struck, or the authority by which
it was coined exists. The very singular
legend on the reverse mani teckkl phakes
*]494* may possibly have been intended as
a prophetic threat to Henry; hut this suj)-
l)()sition is not warranted by any known
reeord, nor is this coin mentioned by any
liistorian of that period. The motto on
the obverse, domine salvvm fac regkm, is
taken from Psalms xx. 9, aud that on the
reverse is the denunciation against Belshazzar.
See Daniel (v. 25). The date
appears to have been the chief, if not the
only reason for the ap]iropriation. Wise
says, "ejus [neiiipc Warhrck] gratia nummum
sequrntcm in Burgundia ctisum fuisse
putant antiquarii, propter epocam inscriptani,"
Num. Bodleian. Cat. (p. 241). If
it were really struck by order of the
Duchess of Burgundy, it mijocht be expected
tliat the rose would have been made more
conspicuously ]iromincnt than it is upon
the coin, bearing in mind the fact that she
gave Perkin Warbeck the title of "the
White Eose of England."
Permische Schilling. A silver denomination
of Belgium under Austrian rule,
and valued at seven Stuivers. It was
struck pursuant to a monetary convention
of 1749.
Pemer. See Berner.
Perper. The gold standard of Montenegi'o,
of the same value as the Austrian
Krone, aud subdivided into one hundred
Paras. In 1910 the Vienna Ro3'al Mint
struck gold coins of one hundred, twenty,
and ten Perpera pieces for Montenegro in
commemoration of the fiftieth year of the
reign of Prince Nicolas I.
Perpero. A silver coin of Byzantine
origin, current in Ragusa, Dalmatia. In
the thirteenth century it was a money of
account and equal to twelve Grossi; from
168n to 1750, however, an actual coin of
this denomination was issued.
Peseta. The monetary unit of Spain,
r('|)lacing the Escudo in 1868 when the
Latin Union system was adopted. It is
divided into one hundred Centimos, and
there arc multiples in gold of ten, twenty,
and twenty-five, and in silver of five Pesetas.
The etymology is from pezzo, a piece,
or portion, whence pezeta, a small piece.
This is borne out by the fact that it was
originally a part of the Peso; the latter
coin consisting of eight Reales, whereas
the Peseta was equal to two silver or four
copper Reales.
In the Peruvian coinage the Peseta is
a silver coin equal to the one fifth of a
Sol, but its value is little more than half
that of the Spanish unit. It is equal to
two Dineros, or twenty Centavos.
Peso. The Spanish equivalent for our
word Dollar; primarily it means a weight,
and by implication the weight of an ounce.
This designation is apparent when it is
considered that originally it was only a
silver liar, the value of which was determined
by weighing.
As a silver coin of Spain it was issued
about the middle of the sixteenth century.
Its value, eight Reales, is frequently found
on the side of the armorial shield on the
reverse; thus, VIII or 8, and from this
circumstance arose the expression "Piece
of Eight."
Tlie Peso at times had a value of ten
Reales. By a decree of June 6, 1856, the
Paraguay goverinnent decided that the
Spanish Piastre should be reckoned equal
to ten Reales. See Graty, Republica de
Paragvaii (p. 403). This refers to the
Peso, which is frequently termed a Piastre.
In Colombia the Peso of ten Reales was
introduced about 1850, an essay having ap-
]ieared in 1S49, Foni'obert (8135) ; and in
Venezuela about 1863, Fonrobert (7953).
Of the obsidional Pesos there were issues
for Chile, Copiapo, Lima, Sombrerete, and
Zacatecas.
The Peso Duro is a scmiewhat larger
coin, and of a value of twent.y Reales. It
was issued under Philip III' (1598-1621)
bv Joseph Napoleon from 1809 to 1812,
and by Isabella II in 1835 and 1836. See
Duro.
In the South American series and the
Philippines the Peso is divided into one
inindi'cd Centavos. In Uruguay it is one
liuiulred Centesimos : and the Peso of Panama
is e([ual to one half Balboa (q.i'.), or
fifty Centesimos.
The Peso Puerte of A'enezuela is ecjual
to five Bolivares and is divided into one
hundred Centavos, and the Peso Maquina
of the same country equals four Bolivares
or eighty Centavos.
Pesson (TCSuaov), the Greek name for
Tessera (q.v.).
Pest Thaler Petrus Schilling
Pest Thaler. This, strictly speaking, is
not a cfiiii l>iit a cdmnieinorative medal issued
when a jiestileiiee or plaurue ravaged
a district, or immediately thereafter. There
are well known specimens for Breslau,
Hamburo;, Erfurt, etc., the majority of
which were struck in the sixteenth century.
Petacchina. See Patacehina.
Petalon (TtexaXov), the Greek name for
Flan (q.v.).
Peter. The name {riven to both a gold
and a silver coin of the Low Countries,
which obtains its title from the prominent
effi«ry of St. Peter on the obverse. The
Gouden Peter, or Pierre d'or, first appeared
under Jan TIT of Brabant (1312-
1355). Tt was twenty-three and one half
carats fine and of half the value of the
Rozenobel (q.v.). The Zilveren Peter, or
Pietre d 'argent, was a silver coin issued
contemporaneously with the preceding,
and copied bv Jan V von Arkel, Bishop
of Liege (1364-1378).
Petermannchen, also called Petermenger,
were small base silver coins which
bore on the obverse a bust of St. Peter in
the clouds, holding a key in his right hand.
They were struck at Trier as early as
1621 and had a value of nine Pfennige.
Their issue appears to have been discontinued
early in the eighteenth century.
Peter's Pence. The name given to a
tribute which was collected for the Roman
pontiff in reverence of the memory of St.
Peter. The payment was abolished in
England in 1366, but not entirely suppressed,
as Fabian in his Chronicle (friiip.
Edward TV) states that in some counties
of England it was still collected. It was
finally stopped by a statute of TTenry VTTI
in 1533.
Certain small coins of Poland and Silesia,
probably coined for pa.ying this offering,
have received the name of Peterspfennige.
The semi-ecclesiastical Pennies struck for
St. Peter, at York, about A.D. 920 to 940,
are commonly though incorrectly called
Peter's Ponce.
Selden, History of Tithes (217), states
that the Anglo-Saxon term Almesfeoh or
Almsfeoh, i.e., alms-money, is supposed to
be the same as I'eter's Pence. Tt was likewise
called Romefeoh and Romescot.
[1'
Petit Blanque. See Blanc.
Petit Dauphin. See Dauphin.
Petition Crown. Tn the year 1663 the
celebrated Simon Petition Crown was produced.
It arose out of a trial of skill between
Thoma.s Simon, who held the office
of engraver to the mint since 1646, and
John Roettier, a Flemish engraver, who
wa.s brought over under the patronage of
Charles IT. Both made pattern pieces for
a new coinage to be introduced, but Roettier
's work was accepted and he received
orders to prepare the dies. Simon expressed
his displeasure at the verdict and
was deprived of his office by the King.
The artists' petition is on the edge of
the pattern-piece and reads : THOMAS
SIMON MOST . HVMBLY . PRAYS YOVR .
MAJESTY TO COMPARE THIS . HIS . TRYALL
. PIECE . WITH . THE . DVTCH . AND . IF . MORE
. TRVLY . DRAWN . & . EMBOSS 'd . MORE .
GRACE : FVLLY . ORDERED . AND . MORE . ACCVRATELY
. ENGRAVEN . TO . RELEIVE . HIM.
About twentj- of these pieces were struck
off with the petition, and a .small number
without. Sec Reddite Crown.
Petit Royal d'Or. Sec Royal d'Or.
Petit Toumois. See Gros Tournois.
Petizza. A silver coin of Piedmont, introduced
in 1799 with a value of seventeen
Kreuzer. See Promis (ii. 192). The name
was also applied to the piece of fifteen
Carantani of Venice. The latter coin has
the numerals XV in the exergue.
Petragordin, Pierregordin, or Peregozi.
The name by which the Denier of the
Comits of Perigord is referred to in Median'al
ordinances. The best known type
is that of Angouleme. Sec Blanchet (i.
288). A document of the year 1305 states
that two Florentines agreed to supply to
the Count of Perigord twenty thousand
Mar((ues of a white money known as Pierregordins
by July 25 of that year.
Petros. Du Cangc cites a chronicle of
1456 in which are mentioned Petros auri,
meaning the gold coins of the Counts of
ITaiiiaut bearing the effigy of St. I'eter.
Petrus Schilling. The common name for
a silver coin struck by Hermann V of
"Wied, Archbishop of Cologne (1515-1546),
which bears a figure of St. Peter.
Pettine, im'aiiiiig a comb, is the name
used in Lombardy for such coins of Napoleon
I as have a radiated crown on the
reverse, said crown being supposed to resoiiiMe
a comb.
Pewter. See Tin.
Peze. A slang French term for a Peso.
Pezza. The name given to a variety of
Seudo struck l)y the Medici family at Leghorn.
It appears to have been first issued
by Ferdinando II about 1660, and was
retained by Coszno III and Giovanni Gastone.
It is usually known as the Pezza
della Rosa from the figure of a rose-bush
on one side. There is a corresponding half.
A gold type, struck in Florence in 1716,
is known as the Pezza d'oro della Rosa;
and the double Zecchino of this series is
popularly called Rosina.
Pezzetta. A billon coin of Monaco, issucil
from the period of Onorato II (1640-
1662) to the middle of the eighteenth century.
It corresponds to the Piecette {q.v).
There is also a mezza Pezzetta.
Pezzetta Imperiale. A silver coin of
G\uistal]a, issued in 1736, and equal to
twelve Carantani.
Pfaffenfeind Thaler, also called Gottesfreund
Thaler. A silver coin issued by
Christian of Brunswick, Bishop of Halberstadt,
in 1622, with the inscription c.ottes/
FIU'.VNDT DKR I'FAPFKN FEINDT, and OU the
reverse the figure of an arm emerging from
the clouds and holding a sword. These
coins were struck at Lippstadt from silver
taken from the shrine of St. Liborius in
till' catliedi'al at Paderborii.
Pfaffen Pfennige. The name given to
such varieties of Braeteates (q.v.) as were
struck by religious denominations or at
ecclesiastical mints.
Pfauenthaler. A silver coin of crown
size issued under J\Iaximilian II, in 156;!,
upon his coronation as Emperor of Hungary.
It obtains its name from the figure
of a peacock on the reverse.
Pfennig. Tiie etymology of the word is
unsettled. Some authorities claim it is
from the Keltic word pen, a head. Conf.
Teston, Kopfstiick, etc. Others derive it
from the Old High German, phnntinc, or
phentinc, meaning a jdedge, and a third
[1
etymology is suggested from pfanne, a pan,
due to the saucer shape of some of the
braeteates.
The word was formerly frequently written
Pfenning, and the plural at this daj^
is Pfennig, or Pfennige, both forms being
used. In all German archives of the
Middle Ages the Denarius is translated by
this word. In 1271 mention is made of
denarii qui dicuutur Hantpennige, and in
1223 the Council of Quedlinburg mentions
a payment of talcntum Quedlinglieburgensivm
denariorum quod vulgariter
ViscJi cpcnnige dicitur.
Originally two hundred and forty of
these coins were computed at the Mark of
fine silver. In course of time, however,
they were not only made of lighter weight,
but a certain proportion of base metal was
added to their composition. The copper
Pfennig was introduced in Westphalia in
the sixteenth century and was soon copied
throughout central Europe. At the present
time the Pfennig is e([ual to the one
hundredth jiart of the Mark. The German
Em]ure now issues one and two Pfennige
in copper, and five, ten, and twenty-five
Pfennige in nickel.
Pfundner, oi' Zwblfer. A silver Groscheu
of the value of twelve Kreuzer, struck
by Ferdinand I (1521-1564) for Tyrol,
Carinthia, and Styria. It was copied by
William de Bronckhorst of Batenbourg,
(1556-1573), and by Michael Apafi for
Transylvania.
Phai. See Pai.
Phan. The Annamese name for the Chinese
Fen (q.v.). It is a weight and so
intended when used on the coins.
Phenyng. See Halard.
Phetang. The name given in India to
a bag of gold dust which is current for
eight Rupees. Cunningham (p. 7) thinks
that the name is "a survival of the Rig
Veda name of Pindiin, or collected (juantities
of gold dust." See Suvarna.
Philippe. A popular name for the Ecu
of l>(inis Philippe of Fi-anee.
Philippeioi. See Philijjpi.
Philippi ((ftXrcxesot). Gold coins of
Macedonia, which derive their name from
having been issued by Philip, the father
of Alexander (lie Great.
T.s]
Philippus Piastre
Tlicy are t'rcinu'iitly luriitidiii'd by ancient
writers, and Livy i-clates (Lil). xliv.
c. 15) that in the year" of Home 58:! (B.C.
169) ambassadoi's from Pami)liylia broiifrlit
an offering' of a ei'owii of jrold for the teml)
le of .Iu|)iter, wrouji'ht from twenty thousand
I'hilippi. Latei' this term eame to t)e
applied to Roman Imperial coins as well.
Philippus. A tviie of the g:old Florin
struck by Philip tlie Good (143()-U()7) for
Brabant. This coin was issued in 14;!') and
must not be confused witii the Filijis Gulden,
a later frold coin (q.v.).'
The Philippus was of the Kijder tyjie
with a fijrure of the Duke on horseback.
See v.d. Chijs (p. 150).
Philippus Daalder, also called Filipsdaalder.
A silver coin of crown size
stnu'k by Pliilip II of Sjiain for Brabant,
Fhmders, and the various provinces of ti\e
Low Countries. It received its name frtmi
the larfje bust of the king: on the obverse,
and appeared about 1557, but the t.vpe
was I'etained for many years, even after
tlie Netherlands had i)ecome independent
of Spain.
Orifiinally it was issued at the value of
one half of the ^old Keaal, or thirty Stuivers
; later many divisions were made, consisting
of one half, one fifth, one tenth,
one twentieth, and one fortieth.
This coin is sometimes referred to as the
Ducafon (q.v.).
Philistideion (^'.'A'.aTtSstov vofAiuixa), mentioned
by Ilesychins, refers undoubtedly
to the handsome si.\teen Litra silver coins
of lliero II of Syracuse, bearing the portrait
of his (|uecn Philistis.
Phocaides (^w/.aioei;, ^by/.xiv.ol a-x-rjps?,
(fojy.atOE? v/.-xi, "/piiatov tp w/.a(-/.6v ) , was the
name by wiiich the electrum .Staters and
Ilectes of Phocaea were generally known
to the ancients. They are frequently mentioned
in inscriptions and in these instances
we |)robably must also include the
Ilectes of Jlytilene which were sufficieiitly
similai' to those of Phocaea to allow them
to be cla.ssed as one with the former.
Phoenix, called liy the Italians Fenicc.
The i)opulai' name for the Oncia (FOro
stru(-k at Palermo in IT-'lo, by Carlo III
Borbone. This coin has on the revei'se the
figure of the Phoenix rising from the
flames, and tiic iiisci'iption KESuuciiT. The
[1'
name is also given to a silver coin of the
value of thirty Tari, issued in Palermo bv
Ferdinand III (17r)!)-1825).
Phoenix. A silver coin of the Greek
Republic under Capo d'lstria, adojitcd in
18:21 and superseded by tlie Draclnna in
183:1 It is divided into one hundred
Lei)ta, atid its original value was one
eighth of the Spanisli silver Dolhir.
It obtains its name from tlie figure of
the fabled bird Phoenix, which is prominent
on one side of tiie coin.
Phoka Dam. Sec Dam and Suka.
Phokikoi, T-a-TJpi; ^wxtxoc, of Athenian
inscri|)ti()ns, were nndoiibtedly the very
eonnnon triobols of Plutcis.
Phollis (<?6XXi(;). .S'ee Follis.
Phuli. Sec AbbAsi, and Pnl.
Phuoc. A silver coin of Aiuiam, iss\ied
under tlie Emperor Thicu-tri (1842-1847).
It corresixinds in value to ten Quan or five
Pia.stre.s. Sec Fonrobert (2127).
Pi. A Chinese woi'd, the e(piivalent for
commodities and for which individuals
readily exchange their protlucts and services.
The word also ap])lies to a coin round in
shape, and many of the modern Chinese
pieces are tiius inscribed with an additional
(|iialifyiiig word, such as co|)per
or silvei', for a copper or silver coin.
Primitive rings and amulets and a certain
foi'in of .jade bore this name. Pi was
also a term given to the early round coins
when the field is also the width of the
central hole. Sec Iluan and Yuan.
Pi is used in conjunction with other
\v((i'ds as follows: Ch' ien Pi or T'ung Pi
means copjjcr moiie.\-; Chin Pi, gold money;
and Chill Pi, pa])ei' money.
Pi. The native name for the Siamese
Poi'celain Tokens (f/.v.).
Pianetto, or Planetto. The Denier of
Brescia issued in the foui'teenth century
is .so called on account of its very flat apl)
eM ranee.
Piastre. The Tiu-kish unit of value,
e((nal to foi'ty Para, and the one hundredth
jiart of the Ijira or Pound Turkish. It is
sometimes known as the Bir-glii-iish. In
Egypt the same system pi'cvails, but the
value of the Egyptian Piastre is slightly
higher than that of Turkey, and it is divided also into forty Para or ten Oohr-elguerches,
also called Milliemes.
The Piastre of Cyprus was introduced
in 1901, when, for the Eufjlish Florin,
Shillinor, Sixpence, and Threepence, silver
jjieees of eighteen, nine, four and one half,
and three Piastres were substituted. In
the reign of Edward VII only the quarter
Piastre was struck.
The etjinology of the name can probably
be traced to the Italian word Piastra,
meaning originally a thin plate of metal.
Another derivation is from the pillars, i.e.,
pila.'itrcs, which are found on the Spanish
coins bearing this name. See Ghru.sh and
Guerche.
Piastre, or Piastra. Originally a Spanisii
silver coin of the value of eight Reales,
introduced at the beginning of the sixteenth
century, and intended for trade
with the Orient and the Spanish colonies.
See Peso.
Charles III of Bourbon issued the Piastra
of one hundred and twenty Grani for
Naples from 1735 to the end of his reign,
and with it a corresponding half Piastra.
These coins were continued in the Neapolitan
series to the year 1860. In the Repubblica
Partenopea of 1799 the Piastre
had a value of twelve Carlini.
In the Florentine series the Medici family
struck the Piastra in both gold and
silver. One variety, called the Piastra
della Rosa, issued by Cosmo III, receives
its name from the bunch of roses on the
reverse. See Rial.
The name is supposed to be derived from
the Italian piastro, a plaster. John Florio,
in his Worhle of Words, 1598, has: "PiastJ'a
d'Argento, a coine or plate of silver
used ill Sjiaine. " Blount, Glosxographia,
1()74, says: "Piastre, a eoyn in Italy,
about the value of our crowu." See Chalmers
(p. 390).
Piastre de Commerce. The name given
to the Ddlhir size silvci' coins struck for
Freiic'li Indo-China, licginning about 1SS4.
Piastre Gourda. A monetary denomination
of the French aiul Sjianish West Indies.
It is usually found with a new value
stamped on the Mexican Piastres or Dollars,
or witli a heart-shaped "bit" cut from
the same coins. See Gourde.
Piastrino. Another name for the Carlino
of Ferdiiuuul II Medici, struck at
Florence in 1665.
Piatak. A Russian copper coin of the
value of five Kopecks, issued in 1758 and
later for Siberia. They occur with the
mint marks of Anuinsk, Ekaterinburg, and
Kolywan.
Plataltininck. Another name for the
Russian coin of fifteen Kopecks.
Picaillon. A copper coin of Turin,
struck originally about 1755 for use in
Sardinia, and of the value of one twelfth
Soldo.
Picayune. A popular name in the
Soutliern States and the Mississippi valley
for the Spanish Medio or half Real.
It was originally valued at six and a cpiarter
Cents, but at a later period the same
designation was applied to the half Dime
and the five Cent piece.
Picchione. See Pegione.
Picciolino. A diminutive of Piccolo.
The term was used in Florence and Rome,
and the coin is mentioned in an ordinance
of the Papal mint as early as 1454.
Picciolo, or Piccolo. The name given
to a small copper coin current in Malta
and the two Sicilies from the middle of
the sixteenth century. Its value was one
sixth of a Grano.
In the coinage of Verona it is found as
early as the period of Michele Steno (1400-
1413), and in the Venetian series from
Doge Sebastian Ziani (1172-1178). These
early varieties are rude coins of the Denier
type with a cross on both obverse and
reverse.

Pice. This coin is mentioned in the annals of Bombay as early as the middle of the seventeenth century, and while its value varied to some extent, it was generally accepted as equal to the fourth part of a Fanam. Specimens of Pice, as well as halves and doubles, exist in both copper and lead. In 1835 an Act was passed in the Presidency of Bengal making the Pice legal tender for one sixty-fourth of the East India Company Rupee. The copper Pice of today retains this ratio and is divided into three Pies.
  Amoug the varieties of the Pice formerly current in the Deccan and other Parts of Hindustan, two of the principal ones were known as the Seorai, equal to one sixty-fonrtli of the ("handor Rupee, and the .laniodi or Siahi, equivalent to one tifty-sixth of a British Rupee. See Paisa. The Gazetteer of Aurangabad. 1884. cites the following in reference to the coins of the Deccan :
  "The copper coins that prevailed were the Seorai, Jamodi, Dhabbu, and Siahi. The Seorai-pice weighed 11 1/2 mashas, equal to 172 1/2 grains troy, and 16 gaudus of them, riz. 64, were given in exchange for a Chandor Rupee. The Jamodi, or Siahi-pices, were exchanged at the rate of 14 gandas, riz. 56, for a Surti or British Rupee. The Dhabbu weighed 18 mashas, equal to 270 grains troy, and was exchange at 8 gaudas, viz. 32, for a Chandor Rupee. The Siahi and Dhabbu are still sparingly current."

Pi Ch'an. One of the t'hiiiese names for
the Spade Money (q.v.).
Pichi. See Pitje.
Picta, or Pictata. See Pite.
Pictavina. See Poitevin.
Picture Sen. See E Sen.
Picureddu. The popular name for the
silver coin of twenty Grani issued by
Charles II {1665-1700) for Naples and
Sicily. The word is a corruption of pceorella,
i.e., a young sheep, and the allusion
is to the Order of the Golden Fleece, which
is upon the coin. The name was retained
at a later period for all coin.s of this type.
Pie (plural Pies). A copper coin of
India, which must not be confused with
the Pice, of which it is the one third part.
An Act of 1835 passed in Bengal ordained
that the Pie should be c(iual to
the twelfth jiart of an Anna, or the li)2d
liart of a Rupee. This relationship still
exists. See Paisii.
Piece. A piece of money ; a coin. Moryson,
in his Itinerari/, 1617 (i. 289), says
"They coyne any peece of which they can
make gayne."
Piece de Fantaisie. The name given to
any coin of an unauthorized character
[
which is struck for ]iolitical, religious, or
other purposes. Consult on this subject
Strochlin, Refrappe.s et FfiLsifieatioiis, Geneva,
18!)3.
Piece de Plaisir. A name given to any
coin of which only a limited number are
struck, or of which some specimens are
struck in a different metal from the ordinary
type. They are found frequently in
the French coinage from the reign of Louis
XIV. See IIofTmann (passim).
Piece of Eight. The name given to the
Spanish silver coin of eight Reales and
the ])rcdecessor of the silver Dollar of the
United States. It was extensively coined
in all of the Spanish mints of North and
South America, and in the seventeenth
century it usually was current for four
Shillings and Sixpence. For extensive
notes on the practice of cutting it see
Wood (p. 4 et seq.), and coiif. also Pe.so
{supra). See Chalmers (passim).
Pieces of Silver. This term occurs several
times in the New Testament. In St.
Matthew (xxvi. 15, xxvii. 3, i)) the original
reads Tpiocy.ovxa dpYupta, and the coins are
usuall.y identified as tetradrachms of Antioch
or T.yre prior to A.D. 34.
The quotation from St. Luke (xv. 8) is
Spa^ixai; Sexa in the original, and the coin
found in the mouth of the fish, St. Matthew
(xvii. 27), is a Stater.
Piecette. A billon coin of the cantons
of Freiburg and Neuchatel, in Switzerland,
of a value of seven Kreuzer. It was issued
from about 1780 to the end of the century.
See Pezzetta. Multiples as high as fifty-six
Kreuzer were struck.
The original meaning is any fractional
part, and it must have been used in this
sense in England, as Cotgrave, in his />/<•-
tionarie, 1611, has "Piecette, a shred, bit,
morsell, a .small parcell, or peece."
Pied-Guailloux. The name given to a
varietv of Liard, struck bj' Henri IV of
France (1589-1610). The obverse has a
crown between three lilies, and on the reverse
is a hollow cross.
Piefort, or more properly, Piedfort,
means literally any coin struck on an unusually
thick planchet as a trial piece or
essay. The designation is applied chiefly
to coins of Bohemia, the Low Countries,
and France, where some of these pieces
were undoubtedly used as current money.
The Dickgrosehen of Prague are so termed,
and in the French series Pieforts of billon
occur as early as tlie reign of Louis VII
(1137-1180), while those of silver and gold
from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century
are frequently met with.
Pierced. A coin or medal is said to be
pierced when it has a hole in it. This is
sometimes done by the issuer for purposes
of suspension, but is more often the work
of vandals.
Pierre d'Or. See Peter.
Pierregordin. Srf Petragordin.
Pietje. A popular name for the piece
of seven Stuivers, struck for Friesland
during the seventeenth century.
Pietre. See Peter.
Pig. An obsolete English slang term for
a Sixpence. Fletcher, in his play, The
Beggar's Bush, 1622 (iii. 1), has the
following: "Fill till 't be sixpence. And
there's my Pig."
Pigeon Eye Sen. >SVe Hatome Sen.
Pigione. See Pegione.
Pignatelle. Tlie name given to a base
silver coin originally struck in France
during the sixteenth century and more or
loss circulated in the neighboring countries.
A Donzain of Henri III counter-
.stam|)ed i.h.s., probably for Geneva, is
so called, and the name is also given to
pieces of six Blanques issued by Henri IV.
Pilarte. A billon coin of Portugal issued
by Fernando (1367-1383), and struck
at Ijisl)on and Porto. Its value was two
Dinheiros. Tlio obverse has a cross with
surrounding ins('ri|)tion and on the reverse
are live sliields in cruciform arrangement.
Pile and Trussell are obsolete Scottish
tci'nis wliicli ci)iTcs|)iiii(led t(i wiiat are now
known as tlie obverse and I'cverse dies.
("ochran-Patrick in Records of the Coinage
of Srofldtid, 1876 (I. introd. 49), has
the following: "Each moneyer had two
irons or puncheons, one of which was called
the pile, and the other the trussell. The
pile was from seven to eight inches long,
and was firmly fixed in a block of wood.
On tlic pile was ciigi'aved one side of tlie
coin, and on the trussell tlie other."
In the Registers of the Privy Council
of Scotland, 1562-63 (i. 227), occurs the
following entry: "Ane pile and ane tursall
maid for cunyeing of certane ]iecis of gold
and silvir, the pile havaud sunkin thairin
fonre lettris.
"
Pile is used in French for the reverse
of a coin.
Pillar Dollar. See Colonato.
Pimpion. A slang French term for the
Pepimi {(j.v.).
Pineapple Penny. The popular name
for a copper penny of Barbadoes, issued
in 1788, which bears a large pineapple on
the obverse. See Atkins (p. 313).
Pine Tree Coins. An early silver issue
for the Colony of Massachusetts, consisting
of Shillings, Sixpences, and Threepences.
They are all dated 1652, but probably did
not come into use until 1662. Originally
they were known as Boston or Bay Shillings
or Sixpences, and the name Pine Tree
was adopted about 1680 to distinguish them
from the earlier Oak Tree and Willow
Tree coins. Sec Crosby.
The prevalent erroneous conception of
this coin, due probably to its rarity, is
indicated by the following curious passage
in a work by Richard Hayes, entitled llie
Negociator's Magazine, 1740 (pp. 213-
214). The author had never seen the coin,
but states that "it is made of good silver,
and is about the value of a common English
shilling. This piece they first coined
in Oliver Cromwell's time; and I have
been told, they continue to coin the said
Shilling to this ver3- time, and do still retain
the first date upon the same. I am
told that on one side is a palm-branch and
a laurel united together like a tree; and
on the reverse side is St. George's cross
in a shield, conjoined to another shield,
within which is an Harp for Ireland."
Pin Money. A sum of money allowed
or settled on a wife or other lad.v for her
jirivate and personal expenses. In the
fourteenth century, long after the invention
of pins, tlie makers were allowed to
sell tliem only on certain days. It was
then that the women gathered there to buy
tliem. When pins became cheap and common,
they s\Hint their allowances on otlier
fancies, l)ut the exi)i-ession "pin money"
remained.
[ ly^ ]
Pinpennellos Pitje
Pinpennellos. Dii Canfro eitos an ordinaiicc
lit' I'liilip II of Fraiu'C of tlie year
1218, in wliich small coins arc irforrcd to
I)}' this name. Notliin<r fiii'tlipr is known
eoneerning them.
Pinto. Srr Cnizado.
Pions de Jeux. Srr Tessera.
Pisisthaler. Tiic Franccscono of Tnscany
is thus refci'i'cil to li\' (ii'i'nian numismatii-
writers.
Pistacchio. The populai' name used in
Kajiles for the small Danaro of the period
of Alfonso 1 (141(i-14r)S). Its value was
one sixtieth of the ("ai'lino.
Pistareen, also variously written Pistereen
and I'istoreen. The name given to
the Spanisli silver jiieee of two Reales, introdueed
at the liejrinning of the eighteenth
century. Its value was one fourth of the
corres])onding: new Peso, but it was rated
at one fifth of the old type Peso, the latter
being of inferior silver. It was freqiiently
divided or cut for use in the British West
Indies. See Chalmers (pp. 53 and 395).
Pistole, from the Spanish pistola, a plate
of metal. Originally this was a Spanish
gold coin struck in the beginning of the
sixteenth century and ap]n'oximately of
the value of one fourth of the Dobla. It
was the prototype of the Tjouis d'Or of
France and wa.s also copied in the Palatinate
and bj' several of the Swiss cantons,
Geneva, Uri, etc.
In the later German coinage the Pistole
re|)resents a gold coin of five Thaler, and
received various luunes from the sovereign
whose portrait it bore, ejj., Friedrich's
d'Or, etc.
Pistole. A gold coin, sometimes called
the Twelve-Pound Piece, struck liy William
in of England, for Scotland, in 1701.
Its weight is one hundred and six grains.
and there is a corres])onding half.
These coins were struck fnnn gold sent
over from the Colony of Darien, in a
vessel called the "Rising Siui." The name
of the shi]) is commemorated by the device,
niuler the King's bust, of a sun rising from
the sea.
There is also a gold pistole in the Irish
.series of 1642 called Inclupiin Money
{q.v.). It has 4 dwtt. 7 v.k. stamped on it.
L
is:
Pistole Forte. A name given to a gold
coin issued in Geneva in 1722 and later,
on account of its value, whicii was five
Florins higher than that of the ordinary
Pistole.
Pistolet. A small Pistole. The term is
a|)|)lit'd to the Scudo d'Oro of Fi'ancisco
[II of IMontcferrato ; to the golil issues of
ilerniaii Thierry, Seigneur of Hatenbourg
(1573-l(iL2), etc. See also Ecu Pistolet.
A iiroclamation of Elizabeth of October
n, 15fi(), states that "Pistolets, then valued
at six shillings and two iience, shall go
for five shillings and ten pence." See
Ruding (i. 338).
Pistoreen. See Pistareen.
Pi Tch'eng Ma. The Chinese name for
Saddle or Riding money, known generally
as Weight Money {q.v.).
Pitching Pence is defined by Wharton in
his Law Lrxicon. 1864, as being "money,
commonly a penny, paid for pitching or
setting down every bag of corn or pack of
goods in a fair or market. '
'
The practice is referred to early in the
eighteenth century.
Pite, Pitta, or Picta. A base silver coin
of Savoy of the value of half of the Obole.
It was introduced under Count Aimon
(1329-1343), and is mentioned as late as
the middle of the fifteenth century. The
Pitta Genovese was half of the Danaro.
Du Cange cites an ordinance of 1599, in
which the term Picta is used synony-
U10USI3'. *SVf. Pogesia.
Pitje, Pitji, or Pitis. A tin coin of Java
introduced about 1750, and copied in Sumatra
for Atjeli, Palembang, and Djambi.
See Millies and Netcher (passim), the latter
of whom (pp. 169 and 173) states that
4()()() I'itjes were eijual to a Spanish Real,
thus indicating their insignificant value.
To facilitate their use they were sewed in
bags or on mats as follows
:
2.50 I'itjos = 1 Kfiljci- = VioRpiil = 20 DultR.
nmi • =1 Tan = % '• = 40 ••
1000 •• =1 Soekoo = Vi " = 80 " .^
aOOO " =1 DJampcl = Vj " = 100 "
In a paper contributed by R. C. Temple
to The Indian Aniiquarij, 1913 (pp. 85 et
seq.), the relative values of the coins of
the Malay Peninsula ai'e given as follows: 4 Pitjes (Pltis, Pese, Cash) = 1 Puit.
2% Dult (Cent) = 1 Dubbeltje, Wang Kaharu
(copper).
2'-j nuhlu'ltjc = 1 Kenderi pcrak (silver).
2 Kenderi (canrlareen) =: 1 Suliu (<iuarter).
4 8ulvii — 1 Ringgit (Real, Spanish Dollar).
B. Modern British popular method of
reckoning
:
4 Pities. Keping, Duit (Cash) = 1 Tengah Sen
(halt cent).
2 Tengah Sen =: 1 Sen (cent).
2M, Sen = 1 Wang Haharu (i-opper).
2 Wang Haharii i= 1 P.ua.va.
2 Bnaya — 1 Kupang.
2\A Kupang = 1 Sulin ((inarter).
2 Suliii = 1 .Tanipal. or Djaniiiel.
2 Jainpal = 1 Riiiggil (ilollar).
Pitta. See Pite.
Pitt Token. Tlie popular name for a
copper token prol)ably issued to commemorate
the efforts of William Pitt, Earl of
Chatham, to secure tlie repeal of the Stamp
Act. It has on the obverse the bust of Pitt
and the words : the restorer op commerce,
and on the reverse a sliip and the inscription:
thanks to the friends op liberty
AND TRADE.
Atkins (p. 264) says: "Tlie history of
this piece is better known tlian most American
tokens. Tlie Stamp Act was passed
March 22, 1765, and repealed, jn-iiicipally
by the agency of Mr. Pitt, March 18, 1766.
This coin, or rather medalet, was struck to
commemorate this event b.v Mr. Smithers,
of Philadelphia, from the designs of Colonel
Revere of Boston. Although doubtless
originally intended for this juirpose only,
it soon became, in coiisecpience of tlie dearth
of small chiiuge, converted into currency."
Placaatschelling. See Statenschelling.
Plack. A Scotch billon coin first issued
by .lames III (1460-1488) and continued
almost uninterruptedly to the reign of
.lames VI. It was originally valued at
three Pence, but later at two Pence. A
variety struck under .lames VI was current
for four Pence and was known as the
Saltire Plack, from the design on one side
of two sceptres in saltire (i.e., crossed),
united by a thistle.
The name Plack is derived from the
French jihuiue, a thin ]ilate of metal. See
Aclicsoiiii. and liodle.
Plagauner. Tlie name given to certain
varieties r)f necessity coins struck by Pope
Cleiiieiit \'I1 wliile lie took refuge in Castel
san Angelo in 1527. The issue consisted
of Seudi, Ducati, and fractions of the
same.
Plaisant. A silver coin struck by William
III, Count of Ilainaut (1336-1389), in
1387. Its value was fifteen Deniers and
it was subdivided into tliree Tiereelins.
Plak (plural Plakken). The French
ecpiivalent is Platjue. There are various
meaning-s for this term, e.g., a flat surface,
a plate, a shield, a piece of tin, etc.
To one of these definitions can probably
be traced the name of the small coins issued
in Brabant, Lorraine, and the neighboring
districts from the fourteenth century
to the seventeenth. They were iisually
of the size of a Groschen, and of inferior
silver.
Double Plakken occur for Groningen,
etc., from 1579 to about 1620, and a twelve
Plakken piece was struck by Philip II for
Overysel in 1560.
The diminutive, called PhKjuette, was
applied to small silver coins issued about
the same time in Burgundy, Liege, etc.
One variety remained current in Belgium
to the Revolution in 1830. See Gros
BlaiKiue an Lis.
Plakette. See Plaquette.
Planchet. The disc of metal on which
the die of the coin or medal is impressed.
Also called Blank, Disc, and Flan.
Plancus Thaler. The name given to a
medallic Thaler of Basle, struck in 1571.
It has on the reverse a figure of Lucius
Miinatius Plancus, the conqueror of the
Rhaetians or Ratiraci, and the founder of
Augusta Rauricorum. There are half and
(|iiarter Tluder of the same design.
Planetto. See Pianetto.
Plappart. See Blaffei't.
Plaque. See Plak.
Plaquette, also called Plakette, is the
name given to a variety of uniface medal,
usually of a (piadrilateral, hexagonal, or
octagonal form.
They exist from the time of the Renaissance
and there are examples by Enzola
(1456-1475) and Peter Fliitner of the same
period. In recent times the Phupiette has
lieen brought to a high degree of artistic
perfection by Roty, Scharff, Chaplain, Marschall,
etc.
[ I'^-l
]
Plat Plate Money
Plat (plural Platar). A gfciieral term
used ill Sweden to designate any copper
coin.
Plata. See Yellon.
Plated Coins. The issue of plated coins
was soiiietiiiK's praetised bj- the ancient
(ireeks, as is known from some extremely
rare examples in eleetrum of the earliest
period of eoiiiafife, and from the not uucoiiitiioM
oecurrenee of plated silver money.
A fanioiis e.\aiiiple in silver is the Stat(>i' of
Themistoeles, the Athenian, issued at Magnesia,
Ionia, circa B.C. 465-44!) (Brit. Museum).
This is not regarded as an official
issue, hut a private forger.y, for the Paris
specimen is not iilated and is from different
dies. The practice was not general, and
as a state measure was rare. However, one
finds jilated silver coins among Greek is-
.sues, and sometimes from identical dies
with the official pure specimens, so that
they can scarcely be regarded as of private
f)rigin. The Romans, on the contrary,
struck plated silver coins as legal state issues
for profit. The earliest are said to
he those struck in B.C. 91 during the war
with Hannibal. In B.C. 84 these plated
pieces were recalled. But Sulla cancelled
this measure, and plated coins were issued
in certain ([uantities until Augustus' reform
in B.('. 15. Plated coins continued
to be i.ssued under the Empire for exportation.
One must distinguish between the
Roman silver pieces of careful style and
those of barbarous execution, the latter
being doubtless the product of false moneyers.
Plated coins were designated by
the Romans Nuiiimi mixti, Subdcrati, or
Pclliciilati, terms which refer only to such
pieces as had a core of base metal, e.g.,
copper, lead, etc., covei'cd with a thin plate,
usually of silver, though plated gold coins
are found among the Rtiman imperial
issues.
Tlie French equivalent is Monnaies
Pourrees, and tlie German is Subaerati, or
Gefiitterte Miinzen, but these terms never
refer to coins of debased metal.
Plate Money, also known as Kopparplatmynt.
The name given to large tlat
rectangular and square pieces of copper,
with a stamp of value in each corner and
one in the centre. They were issued in
Sweden during the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, and may perhaps be considered
as weights for the purchase of
goods, rather than coins, though some authorities
state that they were acceiited at
the value of one third of the Riksilaler
(q.V.).
As no complete list of them has ever
been published in tabular form, the following
arrangement will be of assistance
to the student and collector.
a







Platinum was used for a series of coins
coJisisting of pieces of three, six, and
twelve Rubles, issued in Russia on May 6,
1828.
The coins are all nf the same type and
they were struck uninterruptedly to the
year 1845. At fii-st, their novelty appealed
to the people and the three Rouble
piece was accepted universallj' by both the
iiankers and the p:eneral public, the latter
promptly nicknaming them serinkie, i.e.,
"the little gray coins." It was the favor
with which they were at first received that
encouraged the government to contiiuie
their issue.
In June, 1843, the Russian government
decided to abandon this form of coinage.
The general populace were tired of them,
and for a inimber of years previously they
were sent to Bokhara, China, etc., in payment
of accounts. These countries promptly
returned them and the Imperial treasury
discovered that they began to accumulate.
Two years later the edict above
mentioned was published and the government
redeemed all the platinum coins, paying
for them in gold or silver as demanded
by the holders.
At times when this metal was of less
value than at present, it was used in a
lilated condition for fabrications of gold
coins.
Pledges of Value. See Tokens.
Plinthos (-/.ivOo?). A Greek term for
Flan (q.v.).
Plough Alms. This is stated by Wharton,
in his Iahv Lexicon, 1864, to be "the
ancient payment of a penny to the church
for every plough land." It is referred to
as early as the eleventh century.
Plough Silver. W. -lones, in his Reporta,
l(i7.') (2.S()), says: "In some places they
have Plough silver and Reap silver, which
is Socage Tenure now turned into ^Money.
"
Tomlins, Iajw Dictiouurii, 1809, has
"Plow silver in former times, was money
paid by some tenants, in lieu of service to
plougli the lord's lands."
Rcaji Silver, or Rep Silver, was a sum
of money formerly paid by a tenant to a
lord or other superior in commutation of
his services in harvest time. It is referred
to as early as lliilil in the Mo)iU)iiciils of
Magdalen College, Oxford (145), under
the name of Ripsulwer.
Plugged Money. A general name for
gold coins used in the West Indies in which
a gold plug was inserted to rectify any
deficiency in weight. For a detailed account
of the practice, .<see Wood (p. 4 et
seq.).
Plum. A popular name for the sum of
£10n,()nO sterling. Steele, in The Tafler.
1710 (No. 244) sjjeaks of "an honest Gentleman
who . . . was worth half a Plumb."
Plunk. A slang term in the United
States for a Dollar. George Vere Ilobart,
writing under the pseudonym H. McHugh,
in his novel John Ilenrif, 1901 (12), has a
description of a theatrical performance
with "Sarah Bernhardt at five plunks a
chair."
Poen. A popular name in various parts
of Holland for money in general.
A Dutch proverb is: "Om de poen is het
te doen," i.e.. "money is the vehicle to
accomplish everything.
Pogesia, or Pougeoise. A base silver
coin current in the thirteenth century and
later which takes its name from Le Puy
in the Haute-Loire. Its value was half of
the Obole or Maille.
Du Cange cites an ordinance of Philip
IV of Prance of 1294 in which the Pogesia
is stated to be the same as the Pite (q.v.),
and also asserts that the term pogesata is
used to indicate anything of the value of
one Pogesia.
Pogh. An Armenian copper coin.
Langlois (p. 14) states that it had the
value of an Obolus, and that it corresponds
to the Fels or Follis.
Poid. The French word for weight.
Poillevillain. A nickiuimc given to a
variety of the Gros Blanc struck by John
II of France (1350-1364). It was so called
from the name of the master of the royal
mint. See Hoffman (xx. 35, 36).
The tyi)e was copied by Amedeo VI of
Savoy, aiul known as Pelavillano.
Poin?on. The French word for a punch.
Points Secrets. A tei-ni used by French
numismatists to indicate the place of mintage.
The custom was introduciHl in
France about 1415 by putting a ])eriod or
similar mark under cci'tain letters of the
[1«6]
Poitevin Poney
inscription. Thus a dot under the fourth
letter sliowed that the coin was struck at
.Moiitiieilier, under the niiitli letter at La
lioehelle, ete.
On the ISth of April, 1420, an ordiluinee
was issued, directed to the wardens
of the mint of St. Lo, comniandinfi them
"to coin (iroats, of the same kind as those
wliich were ordered to be struck at Rouen,
liy tiie writ hearinj;; date on the twelfth
of January, with tiiis distinction only, that
a sinjrle jxiint was to he ])laced under the
second letter from the he<rinning of tlic
inscription on each side of the coin."
Poitevin. The name j2:iven to the Denier
of I'oictiers in Acpiitaine to distinguish it
fi'oni the Denier Parisis. The former was
\aiued at one fourth of the latter.
Rich silvei- mines were diseovei-ed in this
locality in the tenth century, and a mint
was established under William IV, Count
of Poictiers, and Duke of Aquitaine (963-
fl!K)). The old name of the town was Pictavi,
and frecjuent references to Pictavinas,
evidently the same coin, can be found.
Poldenga. An early Russian silver
coin: the half of the Denga. See Novgorodka.
Pollard, probably a corruption of "poll
head," was a clipped coin which made its
appeara!ice in large niimbers in England
toward the close of the thirteenth century.
For a short time these coins were allowed
to i)ass at the rate of two for a Penny,
but were ])rohibited A.D. 1.310. They were
decried in Ireland by a proclamation of
Edward I. Srr lirabant and (h'ocard.
PoUeten, sometimes called Augslu])S
Pnllcten, were a series of copper, bra.ss, and
zinc ])ieces, used in the city of Stockholm,
Sweden, and in the surrounding neighborhood.
These tokens were accepted on various
lines of transportation, e.fj., ferries and
stage-lines, the latter receiving the nickname
Omnibuses.
Poloi (taoXo:). f^fp Pegasi and Colts.
Polonaise, or Polonese. Another name
for the August tl'Or, i.ssued liy August III,
Elector of Saxonj', and King of Poland
(1 752-1 756).
Polos. See Pegasi.
Polpoltin. Another name for the Russian
coin of twenty-five Kopecks or one
quarter Ruble.
Poltina, or Poltinink. A silver coin of
Russia of the value of one half Ruble or
fifty Kopecks. It was introduced at the
beginning of the eighteenth century by
Peter the Great.
Poltora, or Poltorak, from the Polish
pol, meaning half, and tworij, the other,
i.e., one and a half, was the common designation
for the Polish piece of one an<l a
half Gi'oschen. It occurs extensively in
the si.xteenth and seventeenth centuries,
and was c(»|)ied in ({ci'nuiny under the
name of Dreiptilker, and in Sweden was
called Trepolcher.
Poltura. The Hungarian equivalent of
the Poltora (q.v.). It had a value of one
and one half Kreuzer, and was largely
coined during tlie eighteenth century for
Hungary and Transylvania.
Poluschka. A former Russian coin, the
(|uarter of the Denga (q.v.). Originally
it was struck in silver, but tha later issues
are of copper. The Polusehki first a])-
peared under Peter the Great from about
the year 1700, and continued in use during
the eighteenth century. Catherine II
struck varieties for special use in Siberia.
The name is tracealile to the early Russian
custom of using skins as money, and
is derived from pulu, the half of any
article, and schkura, a skin. Two Polusehki
repi'esented the value of one hare
skin.
Pon. A Tamil name for the Pagoda or
Varaha (q.v.).
Pond. A gold coin of the South African
Republic, agreeing in weight and value with
the English Sovereign. There is a corresponding
half. The ordiinii'y issues have
the bust of President Paul Kriiger, but
obsidional varieties were struck in 11102 at
the headquarters of the commanding general,
with the inscription z. a. b. (Zuid
Afrikaansche Republiek) in monogram.
Pondo, i.e., a pound. The synonym of
the As on account of its weight ; hence
Dupondius, etc. See Stevenson (p. 135).
Pone. See Poon.
Poney. A slang English expression for
the sum of twenty-five Guineas or Pounds.
Mrs. M. Robinson, in Wal.'iiiKjhaiii. 17!)7
(ii. 97), has the following, "There is no
touching her even for a poney."
Pohi. A money of accoint formerly
used at Bengal. Stavorninus, in his Voyages
to the East Indies, 1798 (i. 460), says:
"For change they make use of the small
sea-sliells called cowries, eighty of which
make a poni, and sixty or sixty-five ponis,
according as there are few or man.y cowries
in tlie country, make a Rupee." See Poon.
Ponti. A Sicilian money of account. By
a regulation of 1823 the Tari were computed
at any of the following rates : two
Carlini, twenty Grani, fifteen Ponti, or one
hundred and twenty Piccoli.
Poon, or Pone. A money of account in
the Maldive Islands, and equal to eighty
Cowries {q.v.).
Poet. See Putta.
Pop. A nickname given to the silver
coins of one Gidden, issued by the Netherlands.
The word is probably a corruption
of the German Pu]i]ie, or French poupee,
i.e., a doll, and is used principally to designate
the coins struck with a .youthful portrait
of tlie ruler.
Popolano. The name given in Milan to
the piece of twentv Centesimi struck in
1S6.3.
Popolino. A silver coin of Florence, a
variety of the Fiorino d'Argento. It was
struck early in the fourteenth century of
the value of two Soldi, and continued in
use until the period of the Medici family.
Tlie Popolino is notalile for its great variety
of mint-marks, among whicli are stars,
keys, antlers, fish, etc. In one of the tales
in Boccaccio's I)een)iicron, a juggling trick
is narrated where gilt Popolini appeared as
gold coins.
Popone. See Poupon.
Porcelain Coins are known to have been
issued as pieces of necessity in Egypt
during Ptolemaic times. Two specimens
are in the Paris collection. iSVe Revista
Xumismafica, 18!)1 (p. 233).
Porcelaine. See Wampum.
Porcelain Tokens. Tliese Siamese pieces
were in use from the middle of the
eighteenth century until 1871, when they
were forbidden. The majority were issued
by companies aiul traders at Bangkok.
They occur in a great variety of sliapes,
colors, aiul values, from one fpuirter to one
sixtv-fonrth of a Tical. The vahies are on
L
the reverses and are generally written in
blue. The native name is Pi.
Two of the old English potteries adopted
china or porcelain tokens. At Worcester
W. Davis issued tliem for tlie value of one
and two Shillings; and Jolm Coke put
forth tokens for five and seven Shillings
at Pinxton, in 1801. See Chany.
Marco Polo, in his Travels (ii. 39), refers
to the use of porcelain shells.
Pore-epic. See Ecu an Pore-epie.
Porpyne. On July 8, 1525, a proclamation
was made that '
' Crowns named Porpynes
be valued at four Shillings and four
pence sterling." See Ruding (i. 303), and
Ecu au Pore-epic (supra).
Portcullis Money was the currency
struck by Queen Elizabeth in 1600-1601,
for the iise of the East India Company,
and it was so called from its having the
Westminster Arms, i.e., a large portcullis,
on the reverse. The issue consisted of
Crowns, half Crowns, Shillings, and Sixpences.
They were of different weights
from the current English Crown and its
divisions, being struck to agree with the
weight of the Spanish Piastre or piece of
eight Reales.
The Portcullis Gi'oat and Farthing
struck in the reign of Henry VIII were
never intended for the Indian trade, and,
concerning the Groat, the late Sir John
Evans has suggested that "from the careful
manner in which this piece has been
struck and from the extreme rarity of this
variety of the groat, it appears doubtful
whether it should not be regarded as a
pattern-piece rather than as a coin intended
for actual currency."
Porto Novo Pagoda. A name given to
one of the varieties of the Pagoda [q.t'.),
probably because it was first coined by the
Portuguese at Porto Novo or Feringhipet.
It has a figure of Vishmi on the obverse,
and the reverse presents a granulated surface.
It is sometimes referred to as the
Scott Pagoda.
Portugaloser. The Portuguez was copied
in various parts of Germany, Transylvania,
Poland, etc., witli a value of ten
Ducats or Kronen, and received the above
name. These coins are semi-medallie in
character and were struck for presentation
purjjoses and not for general circulation.
188 ]
Portuguez Pramienthaler
When the Hank of ITaniburf? was
t'oiiiided in 1667, a numhcr nl' these jiieees
were issued, ealled Bankpoi-tufraiiiser, and
tlie eiistoni lias l)eeii kept up in tliat eity
to eoniparatively recent times, to eonnnemorate
any important historical event.
These beautiful jrold coins <;enerally have
views of the city-towers, etc., and the inscription
MONETA . NOVA AVREA . CIVITATIS .
HAMHVRGENS . NACH . PORTVGALIS . SCUROT .
VXD . KORN.
Portuguez, also ealled Lisbonino. A
lai'jre gold coin of Poi-tufjal, orifrinally of
three thousand nine hundi'ed Keis and advanced
in 1517 to the value of ten Cruzados
or four thousand Keis. It was issued
I)y iManuel I ( 14l)r)-1521 ), and ref(>rrin<r to
the great discoveries by Portuguese navigatoi-
s, styles him as r: portvgalie: al: c:
VL : IN : A : D GVINE : I.C.N. ETHIOPIE : ARABIE :
PERSIE: iNDE: i.e., Rex Portugalie, Algarves,
Citra Ultra in Africa, Dominus
Guinee. In Commercii, Navigacione,
Ethioi)ie, Arabic, Persie, Tnde. The obverse
has the armorial shield, and the revei-
se a large cross; it was also struck bv
John III (1521-1557) and then discontinued.
See Fernandes {i)p. 113, 115),
who mentions a silver Portuguez, not
known to exist at the present time.
Postage, or Postal Currency. The first
series of fractional cunrncy issued by the
United States in August, 1862, and so
ealled from the fact that re|iresentations
of postage stamps were a part of the design.
The credit for this i.ssue is due to
(ieneral F. E. Si)iniiei', the Treasurer of
the United States, who adopted the idea
from the postage stamps being used by the
people in lieu of small change during the
Civil War.
Postal Currency. The encased postage
stamps in circulation as currency during
the early part of the Civil War in the
Ignited States in 1861 and later.
Posthumous Coins are such as wei'e
struck after the death of the individiuil
whose name thej' bear.
Postulatsgulden. The name given to certain
gold coins struck by Count Rudolph
von Diepiiolt, Hislioj) of Utrecht, in 1440,
to confirm his claim to the bi.shopric, which
was disputed. The practice was copied by
[
other prelates to the middle of tlie sixteenth
century.
Potin. A ])rittle ba.se metal ; an alloy
'>f lead, co|)|)er, tin, zinc, and twenty per
cent of silver. This composition occurs in
the Denarii of Valerianus, Gallienus, etc.,
and the large series of base Tetradraehms
struck at Alexandria in Eg.vpt from the
first to the third century A.'l). The term
is usually applied to ancient coins, but the
mixture is of the character of Billon {q.v.).
Pougeoise. See Pogesia.
Poul. See Pul.
Pound. Silver Pounds and Half Pounds
occur only in the Declaration Type coiiuige
of Charles I, and were struck at Oxford
and Shrewsbury. They are marked respectively
with the figures XX and X.
The Half Pound struck at Exeter was
from the die of a Crown and is a Half
Pound only as regards weight.
Pound Sovereign. See Sovereign.
Pound Sterling. See Sterling.
Pound Turkish. Also called Lira, or
Yslik. A gold coin of Turkey divided
into one hundred Piastres, and of a
weight of 111..37 grains. [n Egypt a
gold standard was introduced since 1885,
and the Pound Egyptian is divided similarly
to the Turki.sh, but weighs l.'31.175
grains, and is of the same fineness.
Poupon, or Popone. A nickname given
to the silver p]cus of Louis XV of France
bearing the youthful portrait, because the
same was supposed to resemble a doll.
Poy. A coin mentioned in The Netjociator's
Magazinp, by Richard Hayes, 1740
(p. 247). In referring to the money of
Brabant and Flanders he says that "they
had also among them the Bohemia Grosses
of .3 Cruitzers, each Crnitzer 2 Pence or
Poy, the Poy at 2 Ilelliers, and one Ilellier
at two Urchins."
Pramienthaler. A silver coin of the
Albertinian Line of Saxony. It was issued
l)y Xavier as admiiiLstrator of Fi'ederick
Christian (176:M76S), and tlie Elector
Frederick August 111 (17(i:!-l,S()(J) struck
many varieties. See Madai (No. 5266).
All of these coins have on the reverse
the inscrii^tion zi'R belohnung des fleises,
indicating that they were awarded as
prizes.
Prager Groschen. Sre Grosz.
Prak Pe, or Pe. A Cambodian term
signifying money ; the term is used for
certain base coins of Battambaug valued
at the Siamese Att.
Pratapa. A gold coin of ancient India,
of the value of one half the Pagoda. See
Pana.
Prestation Money. Cowell, The Interpreter,
1607, s.v. Coramissarie, has: "The
Bishop taking prestation money of his
archdeacons yearel.y.
"
In the same work occurs: "Spiritualties
of a Bishop. Prestation mone.y, that siibsiflium
chnritatinuin. which vppon reasonable
cause he may require of his Clergie.
"
Priesken. A base silver coin of Brabant
i.ssued in 1429-1430, and of the value of
one fourth of a Groot. It obtains its name
from a small bread of the same name which
could be purchased for this coin. See Verachter,
Documens pour servir a I'histoire
nwnctaire rles Pays-Bas, 1840 (p. 71).
Pringle. An obsolete name for the silver
coin of twenty Pence, struck in 1636 for
Si'otland. 6. Merton, in his Glossary of
the Yorkshire Dialect, 1697, has: "Pringle,
a little silver Scotch Coin about the bigness
of a penny, with two XX on it."
Private Gold Coins, and Proprietary
Gold Coins. TIh' terms are used indiscriminately
to designate certain gold coins
issued in Georgia in 1S30: North Carolina
in 1831; and in California from 1849 to
18ii;"). See also Territorial Gold.
Probemiinzen. See Essays.
Proclamation Money. The name given
to coins valued, according to a table pre-
.scribed in a proclamation of Queen Anne,
on .Tune 18, 1704, in which tlie Spanish
Dollar of seventeen and one half pennyweights
was to lie rated at six Shillings
in all of tlic North American Colonies.
Horace Wliite, in Moneti and Banlniiy,
1896 (p. 15), says that "six shillings was
considered by the home government a fair
average of tlie various Colonial valuations
of the Siianish Dollar. This valuation
came to be known by the term Proclamation
Money."
In the Archives of the Slate of Neir Jersey,
1735 (xi. 432), occurs a statement:
"I do liei'cby promise to Pay to the said
[1
Discoverer the Sum of Thii-ty Pounds,
Proclamation Money. '
'
Similarly, in the Neir Hampshire Provincial
Papers of 1748 (reprinted 1871, v.
905), an official says that "His Majesty
has recommended that my salary should be
fixed and Paid in Sterling or Proclamation
Money."
Proclamation Pieces are, as their name
indicates, such coins or medals as bear on
their face a ruler's proclamation for his
authority for striking the same. There is
an extensive series of them issued for
Spain, Central America, and South America.
Pronkdaalder. A large silver coin,
sometimes known as a double Ducaton,
struck by Philip II of Spain for Gueldres
in the latter part of the sixteenth century.
It has on the reverse eighteen crowned
shields surrounding a central and larger
shield of Spain. The name signifies ostentatious
or splendid.
Proof Coins are those struck from polislied
or sjiecially prepared dies. They
have a mirror-like or frosted surface.
Many recent jiroof coins, however, liave a
mat surface produced artificially after
striking.
Proprietary Gold Coins. See Private
Gold Coins.
Provinois. A name applied to the Denier
struck at Provins, a mint of the
Counts of Ciiampagne, early in the twelfth
century. See Blanehet "(i. 407). The
earlier t\'p('s bore poorlv executed ])ortraits
and under Thibaut IV (1201-1253)
was issued the Nouveaux Provinois, which
bore a peiync, i.e., a head surmounted by
three towers and resembling a comb. This
rude portraiture was due to the carelessness
of the engraver, though some writers
claim that the hair was worn in this fasliion
in Ciiampagne at this period.
Du Cange refers to an ordinance of
Philip IV of Prance dated 1301, in which
I'ruvinienses, evidently the same coins, are
mentioned.
Provisino. The name given to a variety
of the Denaro struck at Rome under the
rule of the Senate (circa 1188-1303), and
rojucd from the Provinois (q.v.). In 1347
Cola da Rien/o. Tribune of Rome, issued
Provisiiii with the inscription n.triri'N.
ATIfiUST . OWKRO . ALMI'S . TUIBIINAT . URBS.
DO ]
Provisional Pustulatum
In the Pajial series a Provisino of Bonifaee
VIII is clesci'ihed at leiij^tli in the
fi'ivisfa ItnlidiKi (xviii. S!)-!)")"), and Honit'ace
IX struel< I'l-ovisini \vitl\ the fifjure
of a eoinb on them on tiie occasion of his
,jnl)ilee in tlie year 1400.
Provisional. See Moneta Provisional.
Pruvinienses. See Provinois.
Psephos ('^7)90!;). Tlie Greek name for
Tessera (q.v.).
Psothia (''jio'hoi). Srr Kikkalios.
Ptolomaici. A fi'eneral name for tlie
coins struck by tiie Ptolemies in E^ypt,
which extend from circa B.C. 323 to B.C.
30, and cover fifteen rulers. Those issued
by Ptolemy 1 in honor of liis wife Berenice
are <renerally known as Berenicii.
Pu. A Chinese word meaning "cloth,"
tiiouo;]! i)rol)ably the original sense of the
word was "to spread," or better, "to circulate."
The term Pu or Ku Pu is applied
to certain ancient Chine.se bronze
coins derived from the Spade (q.v.) and
Weight money (q.v.), though sometimes
used to include all of these forms. The
Pus were in use from the sixth to the third
centuries B.C. and were confined, for the
most part, to western, northern, and central
China. There are a number of mim)r
forms of Pus, but they can roughly be
divided into s((uare and pointed-toed classes.
The sha])e was copied later by the
Usurjier Wang Mang (A.D. 7-22) who issued
them witii a value from one hundred
to one thousand Li. These latter pieces
arc known as New Pus.
Publica, also called Pubblica. A copper
coin of the Two Sicilies, first struck by
Philip I\' about 1()22, and issued by his
successors until the middle of the eighteenth
century. Its value varied from
thi'ce to four Tornesi, and it obtains its
name from the inscription publica COMMoniTAS,
found on the coins.
Pu Ch'uan. A Chinese word, meaning
"currency." See Ch'uan.
Pudsey Sixpence. The name given to
a variety of an Kli/alietiian Sixpence, upon
which a large escalloji shell has been
stamped. Hawkins contends that "thej'
are nothing more than the cajirice probably
of some silversmith," but Ruding in
a note states that they were "said to have
[1
been made current in Ii-eland for a shilling,
to pay the army in the time of the
Rebellion there, i>y the advice of one Pudsey,
who was afterwards executed for giving
it."
In another note Ruding ipiotes Browne
Willis, who says "this was called the Pudsey
sixpence from the place where the silver
was dug in Yorkshire."
Pul. A Russian copper coin, issued as
early as the reign of Vasili Vasilievitch
(1425-1462). It is quite common up to
the period of Ivan III ( 1682-1 fiS!)), and
was struck for Twer, Kaschin, Kiev, etc.
The name is sometimes written Poul, and
the plural is Pouli or Puli. In the Georgian
series ten Phouli were ccpial to one
Kojjeck. The coinage of these pieces ceased
in 1810. See Abbasi, and Kasbegi.
In the modern Persian series the Pid is
an insignificant copper coin, the fortieth
jiart of a Kran.
Pullus. See Pegasi.
Puma. See Kesme.
Pumphosen Krone. A silver coin of
Denmark, struck in 1(!65. It receives its
name from the figure of the King, Frederick
III, who is represented attired in very
wide trousers or slops.
Pung. A coin of Turkestan. See Yamba.
Punsad-Dinar. A silver coin of Persia.
See Xadiri.
Purana. A silver coin of ancient India
of the "punch-marked" type, and usually
assigned to the second century 1?.C. Scr
Paiui.
The Puranas, or Dharanas, as llicy are
sometimes called, were struck to the scale
of 32 rati seeds, and their normal weight
was fiiV-eight grains, or three and three
quarters grammes. At Taxila they var-led
in value from one to four of the copper
Panas. See Cunningham (p. 3).
Purnya. The name given to tiie copi)cr
twenty Cash piece of Mysore, struck at
Salemabad from rirra ISOO to ISl."),
Pustulatum, or Pusulatum Argentum.
The Latin term for pure or refined silver,
and corresponding to Obryzum in the gold.
The letters pv or ps on Roman silver coins
therefore signify that such coins are of
good metal.
Putschanel. A term found in Adam
Berg's New Mih)tzhuch, 1597, and used to
describe small Bohemian silver coins, of
which three are e(iual to a Kreuzer and
one hundred and eighty to a Gulden. The
term is prohalily a nickname.
Putta, or Poot, meaning a fragment, is
a name given to lumps of tin used as money
in the island of Junkseylon in the Malay
Peninsula. See R. C. Temple, in the Indian
Antiquary, 1902 (p. 51).
Puttan. A silver coin of Cochin, struck
during the Dutch occupancy (1782-1791),
and continued until 1858. The word means
Pysa
"new," and the ordinary Puttan weighs
from five to eight grains; the double sixteen
grains. See Elliot (pp. 141-142).
Pjrramiden Thaler. The name usually
given to a coin on which the reverse inscription
is in the form of a pyramid.
They are generally struck to commemorate
a death. A notable example is the Thaler
of Frederick William II of Sachsen-Altenburg
issued in 1668, on the death of his
second wife, Magdalena Sibvlla. Sec Madai
(No. 1471).
Pysa. See Paisa.