Venetian Tornesel

The Tornesel, a diminutive copper coin from Venetian Crete, was frequently struck using recycled metal from older issues, giving it an eclectic composition that varied from piece to piece.

This made for unreliable weights, which must have frustrated merchants in the bustling ports of Candia. Struck between the 13th and 17th centuries under Venetian rule in Greece, these coins typically featured the lion of St. Mark on one side, a nod to Venice's maritime dominance. The reverse often included the doge's initials or a simple cross, though designs evolved over time.

Exact mintage figures are lost to history; Venetian records from that era were as ephemeral as the coins themselves. Most specimens I've handled show signs of heavy circulation, their edges worn smooth from years in pockets and purses.

Some versions were crudely made, almost as if the minters were rushing to meet quotas.