Modena 1633 12 scudi d'oro Fr-773

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Heritage sale 3096, lot 30369
H3096-30369r.jpg

This specimen was lot 30369 in Heritage auction 3096 (Dallas, TX, March 2021), where it sold for $204,000. The catalog description[1] noted,

"Imposing and Ultra Rare Modena 12 Scudi d'Oro. Francesco I gold 12 Scudi d'Oro (12 Doppie) 1633 MS62 NGC. An exceptional golden rarity issued under Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena from 1629 to 1658, who notably began work on the Ducal Palace, later completed by Francis V. Struck during the turbulent period of the Thirty Years' War and following the devastating effects of the 1629-1631 Italian Plague episode that saw huge death tolls throughout the wider Italian peninsula and in Modena itself, a coin of this gold weight would have represented an enormous value at the time of issuance. Both the Standard Catalog of World Coins and Friedberg call this issue "Rare," though even this distinction may represent somewhat of an understatement, and the sheer rarity of the issue is only further bolstered by this particular example's use as the plate coin in the Standard Catalog of World Coins. Lustrous and uncirculated, with sharp features highlighted by glistening brilliance that easily traverses the fields and a soft gold foil texture that attracts a prolonged gaze. This tremendous offering represents a giant of numismatics that may well be irreplaceable by virtue of its combined spectacular rarity and admirable conditional state. Ex. The International Sale (Stack's March 1988, Lot 1291). From the Paramount Collection."

While the ducat or zecchino was 3.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, the scudo d'oro was, like the goldgulden of Germany, only 3.25 g, 0.917 fine gold. This is the only issue of this denomination from this state. There was also Fr-775 (8 scudi d'oro).

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 39 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 39.33 g.

Catalog reference: KM-(Fr)773 (Rare; this coin), Fr-773 (Rare), Gnecchi Collection-Unl., MIR-722 (R5), cf. Bellesia-23 (for 8 Doppie dated 1631), CNI-IXb.128.

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.
  • Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
  • [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3096, featuring the Paramount Collection of World & Ancient Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.

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