Avignon 1599-BM piastra Dav-8340
This specimen was lot 1065 in CNG Triton XXIX (New York, January 2026), where it sold for $9,800. The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALY, Papal (Papal state). Clement VIII. 1592-1605. AR Scudo d’argento – Piastra. Carpentras mint. Ottavio Acquaviva, cardinal. Dated 1599 BM. Bust right, wearing piviale decorated with two figures / Coat-of-arms surmounted by tasseled gallero. Toned, spot of edge filing, edge mark, slightly porous flan as made. Good VF. Extremely rare.
"In 1274, Philippe III of France granted the Comtat Venaissin – and with it the city of Carpentras – to Pope Gregory X. The importance of the city would rise during the Avignon papacy, when it was made the capital of Comtat Venaissin. Carpentras city briefly hosted a Papal mint from 1586-1603, minting primarily minor denominations, as well as a few extremely rare large silver issues, such as this Scudo d’argento."
The popes held Avignon and the county of Venaissin until the French Revolution, when it was forcibly annexed to France. Ottavio Acquaviva (1560-1612), named on the reverse, was legate of Avignon 1593-1601 and archbishop of Naples 1605-12.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 31.99 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 39 mm diameter, 29.87 g, 5 h axis.
Catalog reference: MIR 1505/4; Muntoni 131 (same dies as illustration); Berman 1523; Davenport 8340.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1484-1600, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1977.
- Berman, Allen G., Papal Coins, South Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1991.
- Francesco Muntoni, Le Monete del Papi e Degli Stati Pontifici, 4 vols. Rome: P & P Santamaria, 1973.
- [1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXIX, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2025.
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