Venice (1694-1700) 25 zecchini Fr-1350
This specimen was lot 30388 in Heritage auction 3096 (Dallas, TX, March 2021), where it sold for $288,000. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Extremely Rare Mint State 25 Zecchini. Venice. Silvestro Valier gold 25 Zecchini ND (1694-1700) MS61 NGC. A famed ultra-rarity of the Venetian multiple zecchini series, thought by Paolucci to number between only 1-3 specimens known. Thus, very likely a unique opportunity not to be encountered again for decades into the future. Had the type been plated in standard references, it likely would have been this very coin that would grace the pages of numismatic literature, for its visual appearance may well exceed even the reputation of its rarity. Nearly perfectly centered, the strike renders engaging motifs that are expressed to their fullest glory in this heavy golden format. Collectors of the Venetian series will be well-accustomed to the familiar images of Christ and the Doge of Venice kneeling in front St. Mark, though only a select few can claim to have even seen a coin that begins to compete with the sheer scale of this offering. A subtle multi-faceting of the fields yields a decidedly gem-like appearance, glistening luster careening across the surfaces with striking intensity to confirm close care in preservation these past three centuries. Gentle wisps, while establishing the assigned grade, pale in comparison to the magnificence with which the central motifs are expressed. All stated, a coin for the ages, and doubtlessly one of the most highly desired issues, not just of this Doge, but of the entire Venetian series. From the Paramount Collection."
Other gold coins of this doge include KM 439 (15 zecchini), KM 438 (12 zecchini), KM 437 (10 zecchini), KM 436 (1 zecchino), KM 435 (½ zecchino) and KM 434 (¼ zecchino). It seems as though the popularity of these large coins increased as the republic's temporal power waned.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 87.5 g, 0.986 fine gold, this specimen 87.18 g.
Catalog reference: KM 440 (Rare), Fr-1350 (Rare), CNI-Unl., Bellesia-203 (R5), Paolucci-113.1 (R6).
- 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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