Scheidemünze

From Marteau

1 Pfennig Scheidemünze, Braunschweig-Lüneburg-Calenberg, 1703

History

Small coin issued to compensate inequalities for instance in transactions in which the exchange of link"grobe Sorten" ("rough sorts of coins") – large silver or gold coins – leaves room for a small compensation needed to match the exact sum. The term "Scheidemünze", often noted on the coin, stands for the coin's task to allow the partners of the transaction to "depart" from each other peacefully.

The nominal value of Scheidemünzen is usually very low and the coin is allowed to have a greater transaction value than justified by its metal value. The material can be silver; usually it will be billon, an alloy of silver and copper with a silver content of less than 50%.

See also Token.

---

Subpage of the Marteau Platform of Research in Economic History