© Heritage Auctions
© Heritage Auctions
½ Scudo d'oro - Guglielmo Gonzaga ND
| Gold | 1.67 g | 18 mm |
| Issuer | Duchy of Mantua (Italian States) |
|---|---|
| Duke | William I (1550-1587) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 1550-1555 |
| Value | ½ Scudo |
| Currency | Scudo |
| Composition | Gold |
| Weight | 1.67 g |
| Diameter | 18 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#117589 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
St. Adrian of Nicomedia standing holding palm frond with hand resting upon a column inscribed
Script: Latin
Lettering:
MARTIRIV NON·FVGI
S·ADN
Comment
From Heritage Auction 3056 Catalog:"The reverse depiction of St. Adrian on this coin, while not unique in the coinage of Mantua, is highly unusual. Typically, St. Adrian is depicted handing a Ciborium to a kneeling St. Longinus while dressed in robes, not in the armor of a Praetorian guardsman. This portrait style is found on only one other coin that we have been able to locate, a Grossetto also issued by Guglielmo Gonzaga (cf. MIR-521). ... One of the altarpieces in the chapel of the Ducal Palace commissioned by Guglielmo features the martyrdom of St. Adrian, presumably the reason this saint is somewhat more prominent in the coinage of this duke than his predecessors."
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the ½ Scudo d'oro - Guglielmo Gonzaga ND (1550-1555) coin from the Duchy of Mantua (Italian States) is that it features a unique design, with the obverse side bearing the image of a shield with the Gonzaga family's coat of arms, while the reverse side features the image of a crowned eagle. This design was used to symbolize the power and authority of the Gonzaga family, who ruled the Duchy of Mantua during the 16th century.
