ITALY. Papal State. Rome, Jewish Community. Shechita Token (1½ Baiocci) (Brass, 27 mm, 5.59 g, 12 h), no date (circa 1860). לשחיטת עוף קטן ('For the slaughtering of a small fowl' in Hebrew) •POLLO PICCOLO around B•I½; below, countermark: rooster to right. Rev. ת״ת (abbreviation for תלמוד תורה = 'Talmud Torah (Jewish primary school)' in Hebrew. Friedenberg, Great Jewish Portraits, p. 21. Jacoby (INR 5), p. 161f. Meshorer (2006) 146. Exceedingly rare. Some flan faults, otherwise, good extremely fine.



Shechita tokens were used within Jewish communities to pay for ritual slaughter, regulating fees while supporting charitable or educational purposes. In Rome, denominations of 1½ baiocchi for a small fowl, as on the exceedingly rare example offered here, and 3 baiocchi for a large fowl are known.

The abbreviation ת״ת indicates that the proceeds benefited the Talmud Torah fund, thus linking the administration of kosher slaughter directly with the support of Jewish education.