The gold Scudo is common to the Italian series. It was issued by Charles VIII of France as King of Naples and Sicily, in 1495. There was also a variety called the Scudo di Oro del Sole struck by the same ruler, which had a sun over the armorial shield. This was copied by Louis XII of France for Genoa (1499- 1512).

Lucca as a republic issued the Scudo di Oro in the fifteenth century, and in the Venetian series it occurs under Andrea Gritti and Pietro Lando (1523-1545). In the coinage of Mantua it is found under Frederick II (1519-1540), and Maria and Charles II (1637-1665) struck the large twelve Scudi di Oro.

The Popes introduced it early in the sixteenth century and retained it almost continuously to the time of Pius IX. Its value in the Papal series was one hundred Baiocchi; in other parts of Italy it was the equivalent of one hundred and sixty Soldi.