Starting bid
€ 600
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Current bid Starting bid
€ 600
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At auction on Friday 13 March 2026 at 14:30
Information
in silver
9.46 gr. - Diam. 35.00 mm.
Obverse: St. Mark seated on a throne, holding out the standard in his right hand to the kneeling Doge, who receives it with both hands. Along the shaft, DVX; - Reverse: Inscription in six lines, within a pearled circle.
9.46 gr. - Diam. 35.00 mm.
Obverse: St. Mark seated on a throne, holding out the standard in his right hand to the kneeling Doge, who receives it with both hands. Along the shaft, DVX; - Reverse: Inscription in six lines, within a pearled circle.
Montenegro 692. CNI 237. Paolucci II 52. Extremely rare.
BB.
We can define this osella as the first true commemorative coin minted by the Serenissima to commemorate the Holy League's victory over the Ottoman troops at Lepanto. It is therefore an example of great historical and collector's interest.
The war against the Turks had a paradoxical outcome: a military victory but a political defeat for Venice.
At the end of Suleiman the Magnificent's reign, Joseph Naci, a wealthy Christian Jew who had fled Western Europe, arrived in Constantinople. Rejected by Venice, he was instead welcomed by the sultan as a banker and advisor, obtaining the title of Duke of Naxos.
Having gained influence under Selim II, Naci promoted hostile actions against Venice and supported the plan to conquer Cyprus, an island intended (in his plans) to host Jewish colonies. In 1570, Selim II demanded its surrender; Venice's refusal led to war. The Turks invaded Cyprus: Nicosia fell in September 1570, and Famagusta, after a long siege, was taken in August 1571 with the brutal murder of its governor, Marcantonio Bragadin.
Meanwhile, Venice had formed a Christian league. On October 7, 1571, at Lepanto, the allied fleet, led by Don John of Austria, Sebastiano Venier, and Marcantonio Colonna, defeated the Ottoman fleet thanks to tactical superiority and the use of six Venetian galleasses, each armed with 22 large long-range cannons and 300 mounted arquebuses. The Ottomans suffered heavy losses, and approximately 15,000 Christian slaves were freed.
Despite the triumph, the victory had no lasting effect. The allies lost interest in the eastern Mediterranean, and Venice was left alone and weakened. In 1573, it was forced to make a separate peace, definitively losing Cyprus and seeing its international prestige compromised.
Contact
Condition report
To request a Condition Report, please contact numismatica@finarte.it
The department will provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that what Finarte declares with respect to the state of conservation of the objects corresponds only to a qualified opinion and that we are not professional conservators or restorers.
We urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. We always suggest prospective buyers to inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition during the exhibition days as indicated in the catalog.
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