Piedmontese Sesino

The Piedmontese Sesino, a copper coin from the Savoyard domains, was frequently struck with dies that copied earlier designs, preserving the House of Savoy's cross through decades of wear and political shifts.

This made for a coin that looked much the same whether minted under Victor Amadeus II or later rulers, a testament to continuity in a turbulent era. Weighing around 1.5 grams, it equated to one-sixth of a soldo, ideal for small transactions in markets or farms. Records of exact mintages are spotty; many ledgers burned in the 19th-century fires at the Turin archives.

Variations exist, from smooth edges on early pieces to cruder strikes later, reflecting the mint's haste amid wars. Piedmont's isolation meant these coins rarely traveled far, staying local while larger empires rose and fell. As for myths about hidden treasures, I've seen enough Sesini to know they're just copper, not gold.