Aes rude Coinage
Aes rude (Latin, "rough bronze") was a nugget of bronze used as a sort of proto-currency in ancient Italy during the gradual transition from bartering to the use of round coinage made from precious metals.

The earliest surviving piece of aes rude dates from the early 8th century BC and as late as the late 4th century BC, and was cast in central Italy.
Aes rude
(1) Italia
/Files/Images/Coinsite/CoinDB/1696_Aes_Rude.jpg
An Aes rude unit struck 800-300 BC in Italia
Obverse:

Reverse:

Diameter: 45 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 100.4 g
No notes for this coin
Vecchi ICC 1