Venice 1759-PP osella
This specimen was lot 1709 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €1,500 (about US$2,124 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"EUROPÄISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · ITALIEN, VENEDIG Francesco Loredan, 1752-1762. Osella A VIII/1759, auf die Übergabe der Goldenen Rose von Papst Clemens XIII. an seine Heimatstadt Venedig. Münzmeister Piero Pasta. Montenegro 2800 (R). R Hübsche Patina, winz. Kratzer, fast vorzüglich. (Italy, republic of Venice, Francesco Loredan, 1752-62, osella of the year 8 (1759), on the presentation of the Golden Rose by Pope Clement XIII to his hometown of Venice. Rare, handsome patina, hairlines, about extremely fine.)"
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. The reverse legend, "ROSA·SUPER.RI-VOS.AQUARUM", translates as, "a rose by the water", i.e., the Adriatic. This one was also struck in gold (KM X316).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specifications: 9.68 g, silver, 37 mm diameter, this specimen 9,72 g.
Catalog reference: KM X317, 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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