★ Numismatic Innovation in Venice – The Forerunner of the Portrait Testone ★

ITALY, Venezia (Venice). Nicolò Tron. 1471-1473. AR Trono – 20 Soldi (28mm, 6.43 g, 5h). Struck 1472-1473. (star) NICOLAVS (star)(star)(star) TRONVS DVX, draped bust left, wearing ducal biretta; three leaves below / SANCTVS MARCVS, winged lion of St. Mark facing, holding gospel; all within wreath. Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe 398 ; MEC 12, 1342; Paolucci 2; Biaggi 2901. Toned. Near EF. Well struck.

From the Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins, purchased from Charles H. Wolfe, III, 1998.

Antonello della Moneta, superintendent of the mint and an expert medallist produced a new design with the portrait of the Doge. Grierson (p.181) relays that the‘presence of a portrait gives the denomination a place of honor – or of reprobation, some thought at the time – in the history of Venetian coinage, but (it has) an even more distinguished history in European coinage (as) the earliest silver testone.’