Tuscany 1630 testone
The first specimen was lot 1331 in Jean Elsen sale 133 (Brussels, June 2017), where it sold for €600 (about US$703 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALIE, TOSCANE, Christine de Lorraine, veuve de Ferdinand Ier de Médicis, AR teston lorrain, 1630, Florence. D/ CHRIST LOTH M D ETRVR D M P B. dr. et voilé à d. R/ MONETA NOVA FLORENT CVSA Ecu de Lorraine couronné. Extrêmement rare Petit trou rebouché. Le droit repoli. Beau/Très Beau. (grand duchy of Tuscany, Christine of Lorraine, widow of Ferdinand de Medici, silver teston of 1630, Florence mint. Obverse: draped and veiled bust to right; reverse: crowned arms of Lorraine. Extremely rare; tooled, obverse polished, fine to very fine.)"
A testone was generally equal to one-third a piastra. The second specimen was lot 42462 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2024), where it sold for $3,600. The catalog description[2] noted, "ITALY. Tuscany. Testone, 1630. Florence Mint. Christina of Lorraine. NGC AU-58. A VERY RARE and seldom encountered type, this example features the bust of Christina of Lorraine, who was the widow of Ferdinand I de' Medici and the daughter of Charles III of Lorraine. Deeply toned a delightful gunmetal gray, with pleasing detail remaining upon both sides."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 8,55 g.
Catalog reference: KM-47 (under Lorraine in Germany); CNI XII, 385, 1; Montagano 318; Flon p. 706.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 133, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils, S.A., 2017.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection, The Richard Margolis Collection and The Rutherford Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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