Venice (1789-90)-ZD 1/2 ducato

Stack's Bowers 2021 NYINC sale, lot 20394

This specimen was lot 20394 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (Newport Beach, CA, January 2021), where it did not sell. The catalog description^[1] noted, "ITALY. Venice. Gold 1/2 Ducato of 4 Zecchini, ND (1789-97)-ZD. Ludovico Manin. NGC EF Details--Tooled. Obverse: S M V LVDOVICV MANIN, St. Mark seated right, holding cruciform banner and blessing doge kneeling to right; Reverse: MEDI DVCAT VENET, winged lion of St. Mark left, head facing, resting forepaw upon open book propped against tower. This INCREDIBLY RARE denomination, unlisted in both Friedberg and KM, is mentioned in the Corpus Nummorum Italicorum, with the exact legend characteristics (stops included) of this piece matching that of those referenced there. What's more, the weight of the King's example in CNI (13.85 gms) is almost identical to this specimen, with the difference possibly being a minor accounting error. Given the intense rarity and the fact that so many specifics are a match (or near-match), it is entirely possible that this example is that which is referenced in CNI." This type is listed in the SCWC as struck in silver. The silver issue is not listed as rare therein but the catalog shows only a line drawing.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 14 g, gold, this specimen 13.86 g. The regular silver issue was 11.70 g, 0.826 fine silver, 35 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Fr-Unlisted (though cf. 1443 & 1444 for 5 & 2 zecchini, respectively); KM-Unlisted; CNI-39. The silver issue is KM 742.

Source:

Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
^[1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2021 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Oro del Nuevo Mundo and Matt Orsini Collections, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.

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Venice (1789-90)-ZD 1/2 ducato

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