grosso
coin
Also known as: matapan
Quick Summary
The term "grosso modo" is an Italian adverb that means "roughly" or "approximately".1
In the context of coinage, the "grosso" was a larger silver denomination that emerged in Italy and spread widely in the 13th and 14th centuries. This development was a response to the need for a coin larger than the denier, as gold coinage was revived and larger denominations became more common across Europe. The grosso and its equivalents became significant in the monetary systems of various European regions, including Portugal and France.234
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