Pistole

Pistole, a gold coin formerly current in Spain and Italy, and originally equivalent to about eleven old French livres, though till about 1730 it was merely an irregular piece of gold. Its value varied somewhat at different times and in different countries, usually being between fifteen and sixteen shillings. The gold pistoles once current in parts of Germany were in most cases merely convenient multiples of the ordinary thaler and gulden. The louis d'or was intended to take in France the same place as the pistole in Spain.