Reggio-Emilia 1554 scudo d'oro Fr-981
This specimen was lot 586 in Sincona sale 46 (Zürich, May 2018), where it sold for 2,000 CHF (about US$2,400 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALY, Reggio Emilia, Ercole II. d'Este, 1534-1559. Scudo doro 1554. Variante ohne Kelch. Sehr selten. Sehr schön. Kleiner Randfehler. (duchy of Reggio-Emilia, Hercules II of Este, duke of Modena and Ferrara, 1534-59, gold scudo of 1554, variety without bell. Very rare, Very fine, Minor edge nick.)"
The Este family managed to remain Dukes of Modena from the sixteenth century until the coming of Napoleon in 1796. This scudo d'oro is the only gold issue of this ruler for this region, which may be a joint coinage for Modena and Ferrara, both ruled by the Este.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.25 g, 0.958 fine gold, this specimen 3.17 g.
Catalog reference: MIR 1297. Fr-981 var.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, Auction 46, Gold Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2018.
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