Neapolitan Cavallotto

The Neapolitan Cavallotto featured a prancing horse on its obverse, a design that echoed the cavalry units safeguarding the Kingdom of Naples.

This silver coin, minted in Naples between the 16th and 17th centuries, was typically produced under Spanish viceroys who controlled the region. Struck on uneven planchets, often sourced from recycled bullion, it reflected the era's pragmatic approach to coinage amid fluctuating silver supplies. Records from some years are murky; for instance, exact mintages for the 1620s vanished in later archival fires.

As for variations, the Cavallotto came in different weights, roughly aligning with the Spanish real system, though edge markings were inconsistent. One might note that these coins circulated widely, from Sicilian markets to Venetian ports, before inflation rendered them obsolete. Historians aren't sure how many ended up in hoards, but a fair few have surfaced in digs.

Plenty of fakes circulate, as one might expect from a coin that's been around that long.