Florence (1533-37) scudo d'oro Fr-280
This specimen was lot 998 in CNG sale Triton XXVII (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $2,450. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY, Firenze (Duchy). Alessandro de Medici. 1532-1537. AV Scudo d’oro del Sole. Dies by Benvenuto Cellini. Second series. Crowned coat-of-arms; radiant sun above / Voided cross fleurée; facing cherub heads in angles. In NGC encapsulation 6864695-016, graded MS 61. From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection. Ex Spink 220 (1 October 2013), lot 226." The republic of Florence dominated central Italy in the late Middle Ages and was a center of the Renaissance. Economic decline, external invasion and internal dissension weakened the state and it collapsed in the 1520's. Alessandro de Medici was the first duke of Florence but was murdered before he could consolidate the state, a task which fell to his cousin, Cosimo de Medici (r. 1534-74). He was promoted to grand duke of Tuscany in 1569 and he and his heirs ruled there until 1737, when the dynasty fell extinct. This is the only gold coin of Alessandro de Medici.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.25 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 25 mm diameter, 3.32 g, 6 h axis.
Catalog reference: MIR 97; Friedberg 280.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- [1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXVII, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2023.
Link to: