Grosh - Definition and Overview

The term Grosz may also refer to George Grosz.

Grosh (also Grosch, Grosz, Gros) is a small silver coin issued by a number of countries in history. Historically it was equal to between several and a dozen denarii. It was minted since the Middle Ages in the following states:

• Italy (since 1172)
• France (since 1266)
• Tyrol (since 1271)
• Bohemia (since 1300, later adopted by most of the Central European countries)
• Poland (since 1367, 3,2 grammes of silver, an equivalent of 12 denarius)

Later the tradition of Groshes was dropped in most states while others continued to mint only coins smaller than the original grosh. In Poland since 1526 these included coins of 1/2 grosz, 1 grosz, 1,5 grosz, 2 grosz, 3 grosz, 4 grosz and 6 grosz. Their weight gradually dropped to 1,8 grammes of silver and since 1752 they were replaced by copper coins of the same name.

In modern times the name was adopted by two currencies:

• In Poland a grosz (plural: grosze or groszy) is a 1/100 part of a złoty
• In Austria a Groschen (plural: Groschen) was a 1/100 part of a Schilling (1924-1938 and 1945-2001)

In Western Ukraine grosh is still a slang term for the kopiyka, a 1/100 part of a Hryvnia. The Ukrainian word for money, hroshi, ultimately derives from this term also.