Quartaro: Smallest Copper Coin of the Republic of Genoa

Illustrated Specimen Details: Copper Quartaro

Example Specimen: 1 quartaro, 1139-1339 (Republic of Genoa)

Authority & Heraldry: The obverse typically features a cross with the legend CVRAD REX (King Conrad III). The reverse displays a castle with three towers — a classic heraldic symbol of Genoa — and the inscription Q IANUA (representing "quartaro" and the Latin name for Genoa). Later types replaced the castle with a mythical griffin, which forms the basis of the modern city's coat of arms.

1. REPUBLIC OF GENOA (12th-14th centuries): 1 quartaro = 1/4 denaro (fractional unit: 1/4)

The name of the quartaro coin comes from the Latin term "quarta", meaning a 1/4 part. This directly reflects its value in the local monetary system, as it was exactly equal to 1/4 of a denaro. Etymologically similar coin names across different states include the quattrino, kwartnik, quarting, quart, cuarto, and the modern American quarter.

History and Economic Role of the Quartaro

The quartaro was the smallest copper coin of the historical Republic of Genoa, actively circulating during the 12th-14th centuries. During the High Middle Ages, Genoa developed into one of the most powerful maritime republics of the Mediterranean, and its growing commercial economy required a reliable small-change denomination for everyday market transactions.

The system was defined as:

• 1 denaro = 4 quartari
  → therefore 1 quartaro = 1/4 denaro

The Medieval Genoese Economy (1139-1339)

The quartaro was introduced around 1139, when King Conrad III granted Genoa the right to strike its own coins. As trade networks expanded, merchants and ordinary citizens needed small-value coins for local purchases and taxes. The quartaro became the standard solution, circulating alongside the higher-value denaro, soldo, and lira.

These undated copper coins were minted continuously over a two-hundred-year period, from 1139 (the opening of the Mint in Genoa) until 1339 (when a large-scale reform introduced the institution of elected doges). By the late Middle Ages, further monetary reforms gradually reduced the importance of the quartaro, leading to its disappearance from circulation.

Numismatic Perspective

From a numismatic perspective, the quartaro is an important artifact of early Mediterranean trade. Numismatists distinguish two primary varieties: the quartaro of the Republic of Genoa proper (which includes 5 known types) and the quartaro of the city of Bonifacio, a Genoese colony on the island of Corsica.

• The 1st type of the Republic and the Corsican colony type were visually identical, differing only in their legends.

• Later types (II-V) featured the mythical griffin, strongly tying the coin to Genoese heraldry.

Because of their extremely low value, quartari were handled far more often by ordinary citizens than large silver trade coins. As a result, surviving specimens are generally small and heavily worn. Interestingly, some numismatic catalogs refer to the first type as a "Denaro Minuto", despite the obvious "Q" (Quartaro) symbol in the legend. Today, it remains a fascinating piece of economic history for collectors of medieval Italian coinage.