Venice 1732 osella KM-X265
This specimen was lot 42441 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $720. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Venice. Osella, 1732 Year I. Venice Mint. Carlo Ruzzini. NGC EF-45. A fairly RARE and alluring type, this specimen displays a decided planchet split near the edge, with the winged lion of St. Mark depicted upon the obverse and three winged caducei in the lower portion of the reverse field." 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. This type was also struck in gold (KM X264).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 9.79 g, silver, 37.5 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KMX-265; Paolucci-215.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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