Tornesel

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The tornesel, tornesol, or tornese was a silver coin of Europe in the late Middle Ages and the early modern era. It took its name from the denier Tournois, the denier of Tours.

A denier Tournois coin
A denier Tournois coin

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 = 133⅓ tornesel.[2]

The reverse of a Two Sicilies ½ tornese coin
The reverse of a Two Sicilies ½ tornese coin

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

[edit] References

  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)
  2. ^ 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. 1229-30. (Note) (ISBN 1603036156)
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