Sequin (coin) who was prominently depicted on it, it was called the ', after the Zecca (mint) of Venice, since 1543 when Venice began minting a silver coin also called a ducat. The name of the mint ultimately derives from ("), meaning a coin mould or die. In some regions, in later centuries, this type of coins were stitched to women's clothing such as headdresses – this eventually led to the origin of the more modern word "sequins" to denote small shiny, circular decorations. Following the Venetian model, similar coins were used for centuries throughout the Mediterranean. After two hundred years of
Zecca of Venice Zecca of Venice The Palazzo della Zecca is a 16th-century building in Venice which once housed the official government mint, or offices responsible for coining money. This building, rustic and robust in its external surface, stands in stark contrast to the ornately decorated Biblioteca Marciana next door. Both buildings were designed by Jacopo Sansovino. Today, the Zecca now serves as the host of the contents of the library of the Biblioteca Marciana. The prior zecca had stood in the Rialto district since 1277 and moved here closer to the offices of the Republic located around the Piazza San Marco. This