Tuscany 1570 piastra Dav-8383
This specimen was lot 1064 in CNG sale Triton XXVII (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $7,350. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY, Toscana (Grand Duchy). Cosimo I de Medici. 1569-1574. AR Piastra d’argento (h). Firenze (Florence) mint. Dated 1570. Draped and armored bust right / St. John standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding long cross. Richly toned, small flan crack, a few light marks in fields. Good VF. Very rare date. A beautiful Mannerist crown-sized coin. This piece finer than the MIR plate coin. From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection." Davenport lists two piastri for Cosimo; this one, struck 1570-73, and an earlier one (Dav-8381) with Cosimo's title as duke of Florence. His successor, Francesco, also issued piastri very similar to this, such as Dav-8385.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 40 mm diameter, 32.03 g, 8 h axis.
Catalog reference: MIR 166/1; Davenport 8383.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1484-1600, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1977.
- [1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXVII, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2023.
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