Etruscan As

The Etruscan as was cast in bronze using heavy molds, often weighing as much as a small brick, which made it impractical for everyday trade but a testament to early metallurgical skills.

These coins, from what we know, featured simple designs like animals or geometric patterns, reflecting Etruscan influences from Greek traders. We don't have exact dates; most examples date vaguely to the 5th or 4th century BCE, based on archaeological finds. Mintage figures? Lost to time, like so much else from that era.

One oddity: the as sometimes doubled as a weight measure. Imagine carrying your currency and your scales in one lump of metal. That's efficiency for you.