Malta 1705 zecchino Fr-19
This specimen was lot 3616 in Sincona sale 43 (Zürich, October 2017), where it sold for 18,000 CHF (about US$21,480 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"MALTA, Ramon Perellos y Roccaful, 1697-1720 Zecchino 1705. Valetta. Von grösster Seltenheit. Vorzüglich. (Order of Malta, Ramon Perellos y Roccaful, 1697-1720, zecchino of 1705, Valetta mint. Of the highest rarity, Extremely fine.)"
Malta, an island between Italy and Tunisia was ruled by the Knights of St. John from the 1500's to their ouster by Napoleon in 1798. After Napoleon's fall, the British occupied the island as a base until 1964, when Malta became an independent republic. The Knights of St. John, now the Order of Malta, still exist but are based in Rome where they run a hospital. The Maltese used currency derived from their neighbors the Sicilians; 20 grani = one tari, 12 tari = one scudo. This scarce type was reissued in 1717. Wikipedia comments, "Ramon Rabasa de Perellós y Rocafull; 1637 in Valencia – 10 January 1720 in Valletta) was a Spanish knight from the Crown of Aragon who served as the 64th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 1697 until his death. He was...60 years old when he was elected as Grand Master."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 3.49 g.
Catalog reference: KM-133, Restelli/Sammut 13. Fr-19.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 43, Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2017.
Link to:
- Malta 1694 zecchino Fr-15, Adrien de Wignacourt
- 1695 4 zecchini
- Malta 1717 zecchino Fr-19, Ramon de Perellós y Rocafull
- Coins and currency dated 1705
- return to coins of Order of Malta