Tuscan Quattrino

The Tuscan Quattrino's most striking feature is its remarkable longevity in design, with the same basic coat of arms enduring from 1737 right through to 1859, despite the upheavals of Italian politics.

This copper coin, valued at a mere quarter of a soldo, was struck in Florence and other Tuscan mints, using planchets that were sometimes irregular due to the era's rudimentary minting techniques. Variations in weight and diameter crept in over the years, reflecting the challenges of consistent production. Mintage figures for many years remain uncertain, lost to time or poor record-keeping.

Some specimens show evidence of overstriking on older blanks, a practical but sloppy reuse of metal. It's no wonder collectors tire of the romantic nonsense about these coins; they were just everyday currency for farmers and merchants.

A numismatist once noted, drily, that carrying a pocketful felt like hauling around Tuscany's history—one coin at a time.