Legal Definitions - appensura

Appensura refers to a historical method of payment where the value of money was determined by its actual weight in precious metal, rather than by counting the number of coins or relying on their stamped face value.

This practice was common in periods when coinage standards were inconsistent, coins could be debased (meaning their precious metal content was reduced), or physically altered through practices like "clipping" (shaving off small amounts of metal). By weighing the payment, parties could ensure they received the true intrinsic value of the metal, protecting against fraud or currency devaluation.

• Example 1: Medieval Merchant Transaction

  Imagine a merchant in 13th-century London purchasing a shipment of wool from a Flemish trader. Instead of simply counting out 500 silver pennies, the Flemish trader insists on weighing the entire bag of coins on a scale. He knows that English pennies might vary slightly in silver content or could have been clipped by previous holders.

  This illustrates appensura because the final value of the payment is determined by the collective weight of the silver in the coins, not just by their numerical count. The trader ensures he receives the agreed-upon amount of actual silver, regardless of the individual coin's nominal value.

• Example 2: Feudal Tribute Payment

  In a medieval kingdom, a powerful baron is required to pay an annual tribute to the king. The royal decree specifies that the tribute must include "ten pounds of pure gold," rather than a specific number of gold florins or ducats. When the baron's emissaries deliver the payment, royal officials meticulously weigh the gold coins and ingots to confirm the exact weight.

  This is an application of appensura because the king is demanding a payment based on the intrinsic value of the precious metal by weight, not merely the face value or quantity of the coins. This protects the crown from receiving debased or lightweight currency.

• Example 3: International Loan Repayment

  Consider two trading houses in the 15th century, one based in Florence and the other in Bruges, settling a significant debt. The original loan agreement stipulated that the repayment must be made in "25 kilograms of fine silver," irrespective of the specific coinage used for the transfer. When the Florentine house repays the Bruges house, the silver coins and bars are carefully weighed upon receipt.

  Here, appensura is employed to ensure that the repayment maintains its true value across different monetary systems and potential fluctuations or debasements of local currencies. The focus is on the intrinsic worth of the silver by weight, providing a stable measure of value for the international transaction.