jeton

Jeton is a small coin-like token used as a counter or tally in accounting and gaming in Europe from the late Middle Ages to the early modern period. Unlike circulating money, jetons were not legal tender; they served as temporary counters for calculations, ledgers, and records. They were typically made of copper, brass, or pewter, though higher‑quality issues could be silver or gold. Jetons often bore portraits, coats of arms, allegorical scenes, or inscriptions.

Jetons emerged in medieval Europe as calculation aids used with abacuses and ledgers. They were issued by merchants, banks, universities, and rulers, and were widely used in France, the Netherlands, and German-speaking regions. In accounting practice, they functioned as a tactile aid for arithmetic, with merchants stacking or laying out jetons to perform sums, partitions, and exchange rates.

Jetons circulated as gaming counters and tokens at cafés, gaming houses, or public entertainment venues, where they could be exchanged for services, bets, or admission. Some jetons were designed as keepsakes or commemoratives and were collected for their artistry and inscriptions.

In modern usage, jeton denotes a historical token or counter rather than circulating currency. The study of jetons, often described in numismatics as jetonology, encompasses engraving, iconography, and social history of the periods that produced them. English-language literature often describes such pieces as jetons or counting tokens, distinguishing them from ordinary coins or medals.