Savoy Scudo

The Savoy Scudo was often restruck from older coins, a thrifty habit in the cash-strapped Savoyard states that led to some intriguing die clashes and overdates.

This silver piece, minted between 1666 and 1798, typically weighed around 40 grams and carried the arms of the ruling duke on one side, with a cross or value on the other. Designs evolved with each monarch, from Charles Emmanuel II to the last issues under Victor Amadeus III. Turin was the primary mint, though a few were produced in other Savoyard cities during crises.

We don't know exact mintage numbers for most years; those records probably burned in one of the region's many fires or wars. As for varieties, the 1720s saw some with mismatched edges, likely from hurried production.

It's amusing how enthusiasts still chase these, thinking they're rare as hen's teeth, when half the time they were just pocket change back then.