The name, like that of the French écu and the Spanish and Portuguese escudo, was derived from the Latin scutum ("shield").
[1] Under Maria Theresa and Joseph II the scudo d'argento had a weight of 23.10 g and a fineness of 896/1000.
[2] In the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (under the control of the Habsburg Austrian Empire), the Lombardy–Venetia scudo was equivalent to the Conventionsthaler and was subdivided into six lire.
The Duchy of Modena and Reggio also issued scudi, worth four lire or one third of a tallero.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta has issued coins denominated in scudi since 1961.