Milanese Scudo

The Milanese Scudo was often struck on planchets recycled from melted Spanish reales, a practical reuse that highlighted Milan's entanglement with Habsburg politics.

This silver coin, minted in the Duchy of Milan from 1535 to 1796, bore designs like the Milanese cross or the ruling duke's arms, depending on the era. Sizes ranged from about 38 to 42 millimeters, with silver content around 90 percent in most issues.

Over the years, I've examined countless examples, from the early Francesco II Sforza pieces to later ones under Spanish governors. Some variants show crude strikes, probably from wartime shortages. We don't know exact mintages for many years; archives burned in the 18th-century conflicts.

Counterfeits were common, which might explain the persistent myths about hidden treasures in Alpine hideaways.