Lead (chemical symbol Pb, from the Latin plumbum) is a dense, soft, and malleable metal with a dull grey appearance. It is inexpensive and easy to cast, but too soft for durable coinage and prone to surface oxidation. Lead was used for coins in specific historical contexts, notably in the Sassanian Empire and in South Asia. It is also encountered as a material for coin patterns. Due to its softness and toxicity, lead has never been widely adopted for coinage and is no longer used today.
