Tornesel

Tornesel

Tornesel

Silver coin from Europe

The tornesel, tornesol, or tornese was a silver coin of Europe in the Late Middle Ages and the early modern era.

A denier tournois; inscription reads:
+PHILIPVS•REX / +TVRONVS•CIVI[TATI]S.

History

See also: History of coins in Italy

It took its name from the denier tournois, the denier of Tours. Marco Polo referred to the tornesel in recounts of his travels to East Asia when describing the currencies of the Yuan Empire.[1] His descriptions were based on the conversion of 1 bezant = 20 groats = 133+1/3 tornesel.[1]

The reverse of a Two Sicilies 1/2 tornese coin

The tornese was a subunit of the Neapolitan, Sicilian, and Two Sicilies ducats.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Henry Yule. The Travels of Marco Polo: The Complete Yule-Cordier Edition. Third edition (1903), revised and updated by Henri Cordier. Plain Label Books. p. 1226-27. (ISBN 1603036156)


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