Grosso of Venice

A grosso from the mid-13th century.

The grosso of Venice (plural Grossi) is a silver coin first introduced in Venice in 1193 under doge Enrico Dandolo. It originally weighed 2.18 grams and was composed of 98.5% pure silver, valued at 26 dinarii. Its name is from the same root as groschen and the English groat, all deriving ultimately from the denaro grosso or large penny.

Its value was allowed to float relative to other Venetian coins until it was pegged to 4 soldini in 1332, incidentally the year the soldino was introduced.

In 1332, 1 grosso equalled 4 soldini, or 48 dinarii. It was also known as Matapan, from the eponymous Greek promontory.

See also

• Coinage of the Republic of Venice

References

• Robbert, Louise Buenger (1974). "Reorganization of the Venetian Coinage by Doge Enrico Dandolo". Speculum, Vol. 49, No. 1 49 (1): 48–60. doi:10.2307/2856551. JSTOR 2856551. 
• Stahl, Alan M (2000). Zecca the mint of Venice in the Middle Ages. American Numismatic Society.; NetLibrary, Inc.. ISBN 080187694X. 9780801876943.