CYPRUS or MALTA. Copper Denaro or Tessera. V E S

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CYPRUS or MALTA.Copper Denaro or Tessera.
(2.01g, 16.6mm, 12h)

1/F/ L/M, rampant lion left.

Reverse. VE / •S within dotted circle.

Ref: Lazari attributes this enigmatic coin to Jeronimus Pisauro vice-roy of Cyprus, lietutenant of Nicosia AD 1471-1493.PIXIV.65 var.

Sclumberger PI.VIII.11 also attibutes this coin to Cyprus but rebukes the Lazari attribution without mention to whom the issue might belong.

Schembri p.288 Plate 1.4. attributes this as a tessera issued by Jean Levesque de la Cassiere AD 1572-1581.

The attribution remains uncertain, it was purchased by Lord Grantley in Corfu, just like Cyprus another Venetian colonly. It is recorded that when the Ottoman Turks beseiged Cyprus in 1570 a copper coin other than the well known bezant was issued; this has not yet been identified and this might be the coin, here the lion does not appear to be the Lion of Saint Mark as shown of the seige coins but possibly the Lusignan lion as shown on Venetian cartzia issues from AD 1553-1570. If a Maltese attribution is to be made I would suggest an issue of Manoel de Vilhena AD 1723-1736 as the rampant lion is very similar in style to his coins as on the copper cinquina.

Good fine / about very fine, some surface porosity, possibly overstuck. Extremely Rare.

Ex: Lord Grantly collection, Glendening auction sale 11, 26th April 1945, part lot 4271.

Ex J R Stewart collection ( stewart inventory 549), purchased from the London firm Baldwins 12th December 1945.

Sold with Stewarts ticket and comments.

 

 

 

Modificato 21 Novembre, 2023 da Oppiano

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Jean Levesque de la Cassière (1572-1581) - tessera ? AE gr. 2,02

D/ Armi del Gran Maestro, attorno lettere I L M I R/ Lettere V E S nel campo, sopra, croce.

R.S.-

Conservazione: BB RRRR
 

Cyprus.  Ossidional AE struck during the Venetian occupation of Cyprus, XV sec.Obv.  Lusignan Lion flanked by four letters I P L N.  Rev.  + V E S + in two lines.  Schl. pl. VIII, 11.  AE.  1.09 g.  16.00 mm.RRRR.  Extremly rare. Apparently never offered in public sale.  Good VF.This issue is so enigmatic and discussed by scholars since there are no clear references to the minting issue and ruler. Lazari was the first to publish this coin (the one in Medagliere Reale, Torino) attributing the coin to the Venetian occupation in Cyprus because of the recall to the Lusignan standard given by the lion on obverse. According to the comparison with one other example in the Morel-Fatio colletion and the misreading of the initials I F L M not I P L N , Lazari wrongly attributed the coin to Girolamo Pesaro lieutenenat in Nicosiae. Nowadays is possibile to say that the link with the venetian rule is clear as suggested by the crazie issued by venetians in Cyprus but the real placing of this coin is still to be searched.

 

 

Modificato 21 Novembre, 2023 da Oppiano

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Lazari

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Museo Bottacin annesso alla civica Biblioteca e Museo di Padova (CARLO KUNZ).

 

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Dal Gamberini di Scarfea: