SEQUIN (the

See also:

• FRENCH
• FRENCH, DANIEL CHESTER (1850– )
• FRENCH, NICHOLAS (1604-1678)

French

See also:

• FORM (Lat. forma)

form of Ital. zecchino, zecchino d'oro)  , the name of a Venetian gold coin, first minted about 128o, and in use until the fall of the Venetian Republic . It was worth about nine shillings . It bore on the obverse a figure of St Mark blessing the banner of the republic, held by a kneeling doge, and on the reverse a figure of Christ . Milan and Genoa also issued gold sequins . The word in Italian was formed from zecca, Span. zeta, a mint, an adaptation of Arabic sikka, a die for coins . In the sense of " newly-coined," the Hindi or Persian sikka, anglicised sicca, was specifically used of a rupee, containing more silver than the East India Company's rupee, coined in 1793 by the Bengal government . The " sicca-rupee " ceased to be circulated after 1836 . The term " sequin " is now used for small discs made of thin pieces of metal, tinfoil, celluloid or other composite material, highly glazed and brightly coloured, and applied as trimming for ladies' dresses .