Venice 1681-GM osella
This specimen was lot 1708 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €5,500 (about US$7,788 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"EUROPÄISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · ITALIEN, VENEDIG Alvise Contarini, 1676-1684. Osella ANNO VI/1681. Münzmeister Gerolamo Marcello. Drei Wappenschilde//Hahn steht l. mit Schlange im Schnabel. Montenegro 2059 (R3). Von großer Seltenheit. Attraktives Exemplar mit hübscher Patina, sehr schön +. (Italy, republic of Venice, Alvise Contarini, 1676-84, osella of the year 6 (1681). Obverse: Three coats of arms; reverse: Rooster standing left with a snake in its beak. Extremely rare, attractive example with handsome patina, very fine or better.)"
We translate the reverse legend, "MVNVS·COMVNITATIS·MVRIANI", as "serving the community of Murano". Oselli are unique to Venice; they are medals in nature, serving as commemoratives or awards of merit, but often circulated as the republic did not issue much silver in this size. Hundreds of designs exist. The closest analog are the jetons of France, which began as reckoning counters but evolved into commemoratives similar to this.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 9.47-9.69 g, silver, 35 mm diameter, this specimen 9,60 g.
Catalog reference: Montagano 578 (R2).
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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