Denaro Mancuso Público Deposited
A term supposed to have been derived from the Latin manus and consequently applied to such coins as exhibit the figure of a hand. A Solidus Mancusus of silver is mentioned at the time of Charlemagne as being equal to thirty Denarii Nuovi, and an ordinance of the Abbey of Sesto at Friuli, dated 778, refers to XX mancoscos auri.
A Denaro Mancuso is found in the Papal coinage under Benedict IV (900-003). and John XII (955-964). In the Byzantine series the Soldo Mancuso occurs under Constantine V and Leo IV (751-775), and it was copied in Beneventum by Luitprand, a contemporary ruler (751-758). All of the preceding coins have a hand as a prominent figure.
The Mancus d'oro was also struck by Raimond Berengar IV, Count of Barcelona (1130-1162) who married Petronilla, Queen of Aragon. This coin has the inscription hahkinot, implying Barcelona. See Blanchet (i. 312).
Finally in the Lucchese coinage the name Mancoso occurs as early as 1551, and is used for the half of the Kendo d'Oro.
- Frey's Dictionary (American Journal of Numismatics, Vol. 50, 1916)