Milan (1481) 2 ducats Fr-693

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Heritage sale 3037, lot 31213
photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries
Künker Auction 439, lot 2108

This specimen was lot 31213 in Heritage sale 3037 (New York, January 2015), where it sold for $36,425. The catalog description[1] noted, "Superb Gem Ducato of the XV Century--Milan. Giovanni Galeazzo Maria Sforza (1476-94) gold Doppio Ducato ND (1481) MS64 NGC, Milan mint. (Mitered Head) IO • G3 • M • SF • VICECOS • DVX • MLI • SXT', armored bust right, wearing berretto / + PP • ANGLE • Q3 • COS • 7C', coat-of-arms surmounted by crowned and crested helmets facing one another. Fully lustrous and sharply struck, there are few die details that did not clearly strike up on this rare issue. Some die work and a smattering of hairlines are noted, but there are no significant abrasions or marks to be found on the surfaces, quite unusual. The Renaissance-style portrait is simply superb and the light reddish patina is lovely. From 1476-81, Giovanni's coinage included titles of Bona di Savoia and from 1481-94, they included the titles of Ludovico Maria Sforza, leaving only a window in 1481 in which coins of Giovanni were issued in his name alone, the Doppia Ducati and a small Trillina. Ex. Millennia Collection, From The Alexander Collection." The Millenia specimen is plated in Numista, which notes two mintmarks; a feather and an old man's face (shown here). The second specimen was lot 2108 in Künker sale 439 (Osnabrück, March 2026), where it sold for €15,000 (about US$20,636 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"ITALIEN, MAILAND Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza, 1476-1494. Doppio Ducato o. J. (Kopf) IO ' G3 ' M ' SF ' VICECO ' DVX ' MIL ' SX ' Geharnischtes Brustbild r. mit Kopfbedeckung//‡ PP ' ANGLE ' - Q3 ' COS ' 7C ' Behelmtes, vierfeldiges Wappen. In US-Plastikholder der NGC mit der Bewertung AU 55 (8583426-005). GOLD. Von großer Seltenheit. Vorzüglich. (Italy, duchy of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza, 1476-94, undated double doppia. Obverse: armored bust with cap; reverse: helmeted and quartered arms. Graded NGC AU-55, extremely rare, extremely fine.)"

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 6.9 g, gold, 29 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Fr-693, MIR-215/1, Crippa-1; Toffanin 215/1 (RR).

Source:

  • 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Scott Cordry, Heritage Signature Auction 3037, featuring the Empire, the Santa Catarina, the Law and the Santa Maria Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2014.
  • [2]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Frühjahrs-Auktion 439: Gold Coins from around the world, particularly Denmark, Habsburg, Malta and Saxony | German Coins after 1871 including Coins from the Collection of Jürgen and Erika Schmidt, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2026.

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