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Saturday 31 Aug at : 14:00 (CEST)

AUCTION 70

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Via Consiglio dei Sessanta, 99 47891 Dogana (RSM), San Marino
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Lot 106 - Italian coins - FLORENCE Cosimo I (1537-1574) Plate 1570 - MIR 166/1 (indicated R/4) AG (g 32.12) RRRR Cosimo I, son of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, the most famous leader of the Italian Renaissance became Duke of Tuscany in 1537. Of very resolute character (niece of Caterina Sforza of Pesaro, considered one of the most energetic women in history) he developed political relationships to ensure prosperity for the city's fortunes, eliminating all possible resistance. Close to Charles V of Spain, she granted favors to the Spanish occupants of part of her lands. Intransigent as governor of the Duchy, he restricted many freedoms within the city walls, and was at the same time an architect of improvements in agriculture and commerce, ambitious in his urban program and a patron of the arts; the beauty of his coins is an example. In 1555 he created a great Medici State with the subjugation of Siena. Pius V recognized him as Grand Duke in 1570. Decisive was the role of the fleet he created in 1550 in the naval battle of Lepanto in 1571. The coinage on this coin is by Pietro Paolo Galeotti successor to Benvenuto Cellini. Of exceptional quality for this vintage of the greatest rarity. Undoubtedly the best known exemple of the very few that have appeared. To date , the best specimen, of the only 2 we found, turned out to be the one in the 2024 CNG Triton XXVII auction, lot 10 64, in "good BB" conservation. The date 1570 is extremely rare. Incidentally, this specimen presents a curious paeticular having the duke's neck longer than usual constituting a precise variant that, from our research, never appeared in public sale. This specimen is also of particular value for its preservation with a delicate patina on which intact reliefs stand out. The specimen illustrated in the MIR is of much lower quality. A plate from 1573, thus far less rare, and in similar conservation to this one in NAC auction 122, lot 133, realized as much as 19,000 euros plus fees - SPL+

Estim. 12 000 EUR