siege piece


noun

a piece of gold or silver stamped as provisional legal tender in a besieged area.
Also called obsidional coin.

Origin of siege piece

First recorded in 1730–40

Example sentences from the Web for siege piece

  • The near gun is a 32-pounder navy; the far one, a 24-pounder siege-piece.

    The Civil War Through the Camera |Henry W. (Henry William) Elson
  • Shot and shell struck the engine, the iron penthouse roof over the siege-piece, the flat car, the bridge itself.

    The Long Roll |Mary Johnston