The qirsh, gersh, grush, γρόσι and kuruş are the Arabic, Amharic, Hebrew, Greek and Turkish, names respectively, for currency denominations in and around the territories formerly part of the Ottoman Empire derived from the same Italian origin. In Polish, the term is also similar to the word for the pea and, as the coins were similar in size and weight, the term might have gained popularity and still remains in use in Poland. It is currently used as a subunit of the złoty.
History
Names like Groschen, grossus/grossi, grosso, grossone, grosz, gros, groš, groat, Groten, garas etc. were used in the Middle Ages for all thicksilver coins, as opposed to thin silver coins such as French denier or pennies. Historically it was equal to between several and a dozen denarius. The type was introduced in 1271 by Duke Meinhard II of Tyrol in Merano. The 1286 example depicted here weighs, it is marked with ME IN AR DVS and a Double Cross, and with DUX TIROL and the Eagle of Tyrol It was minted since the Middle Ages in the following areas:
The type was also minted during various times in the Duchy of Luxembourg, such as the 22 millimeter gros produced from 1418 to 1425 under John III the Pitiless, Duke of Bavaria, bearing slightly varying inscriptions of "IOAH DVX BAVAR Z FILIVS" on the obverse, and "MONE NOVA LUCE BURS" on the reverse.
Later the tradition of Groschen was dropped in most states while others continued to mint only coins smaller than the original coin. In Poland for example, since 1526 these included coins of grosz, 1 grosz, grosz, 2 grosz, 3 grosz, 4 grosz and 6 grosz. Their weight steadily dropped to of silver and since 1752 they were replaced by copper coins of the same name. In Germany, the name Groschen replaced Schilling as the common name for a 12pfennig coin. In the 18th century it was used predominantly in the northern states as a coin worth of a Reichsthaler. In the 19th century, beginning in 1821 in Prussia, a new currency system was introduced in which the Groschen — often called the Silbergroschen or Neugroschen to distinguish it from older Groschen — was worth of a Thaler or Taler. Following German unification and decimalisation, the Groschen was replaced by the 10 pfennig coin and Groschen remained a nickname for the 10 pfennig coin until the introduction of the euro. For the same reason, the name Sechser remained in use regionally for the half-Groschen coin, 5 Pfennigs. There is a Beethovenrondo for piano, opus 129 entitled "Die Wut über den verlorenen Groschen".
Modern currencies
In recent times, the name was used by three currencies in circulation:
In Austria, a Groschen was a part of a Austrian schilling
In Turkey, a kuruş is a 1/100 part of lira.
Likewise, in Germany Groschen remained a slang term for the 10 Pfennig coin, thus a part both of the Deutsche Mark and the East German Mark. The word has lost popularity with the introduction of the euro, although it can still be heard on occasion, especially from older people. The Ukrainian and Belarusian word for money, hroshi, ultimately derives from the word "grosh." In Bulgaria, the grosh was used as a currency until the lev was introduced in the 19th century. In Palestine during the British Mandate, a grush was a coin with a hole in it, valued at part of a pound. It was named after an Ottoman coin. When the pound was replaced by the lira after Israeli statehood in 1948, the name was transferred to a coin worth of a lira. The name persisted for a while after the lira was replaced by the shekel in 1980, but it gradually lost its standing as the name of a certain coin. Now it is a slang for a very small value.
Austria introduced the Groschen in 1924 as the subdivision of the Austrian schilling. It was restored, along with the schilling, in 1945 and continued in use until the introduction of the euro in 2002.
