Venice (1578-85) 1/2 scudo

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Jean Elsen sale 150, lot 1587
Stack's Bowers February 2024 Collector's Choice sale, lot 75322
SB224-75322r.jpg

The first specimen was lot 1587 in Jean Elsen sale 150 (Brussels, March 2022), where it sold for €130 (about US$173 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"ITALIE, VENISE, Nicolo da Ponte (1578-1585), AR 80 soldi (mezzo scudo da 4 lire), s.d. Sans sigle. D/ Saint Marc assis à d., remettant une bannière au Doge agenouillé devant lui. R/ Sainte Justine deb. de f., la poitrine transpercée par un glaive, ten. une palme et les Evangiles. Derrière elle, le lion de saint Marc. Nettoyé. Très Beau. (Italy, republic of Venice, Nicolo da Ponte, 1578-85, undated silver eighty soldi or half scudo, without assayer's initials. Obverse: St. Mark standing right, passing a banner to the doge kneeling before him; reverse: St. Justine facing, her breast pierced by a sword, bearing a palm and the Gospels; behind her, the lion of St. Mark. Cleaned, Very Fine.)"

The second specimen was lot 75322 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2024), where it sold for $384. The catalog description[2] noted, "ITALY. Venice. 80 Soldi (1/2 Ducato), ND (1578-85). Venice Mint. Nicolo da Ponte. NGC AU-50. This alluring example is rich with handsome luster, and deeply toned throughout. A piece deserved of many excited bids." The SCWC lists the eighty soldi as late as 1615 (KM 70). Thereafter, the half scudo was reduced to 15.91 g and tariffed at seventy soldi or three lire. The "*XΛD*" at the bottom of the obverse is "DVX" upside down.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 18.19 g, 0.948 fine silver, 37-38 mm diameter; this specimen 18,20 g.

Catalog reference: Pap. 362, 21; Paolucci 72, 5.

Source:

  • 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 150: Collection J.F.L. Blankenberg, Monnaies de l'Orient Latin, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2022.
  • [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
  • Rafaele Paolucci, La Zecca di Venezia, 2 vols. Padua, 1991.

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