Venice. Francesco Loredan gold Scudo della Croce of 12 Zecchini ND (1752-1762)-GAC UNC Details (Obverse Scratched) NGC, Venice mint, KM-Pn151, Fr-1478 (Rare), CNI-VIIIb.1, Paolucci-138.1, Bellesia-Unl. Giacomo Antonio Contarini as mintmaster. A bold offering of the highest rarity, and only the second example of the type that we have seen in our history, with this specimen clearly outranking that sole representative by virtue of its inarguable Mint State condition. Widely referred to as a Scudo "della Croce" (of the cross) for its prominent reverse display of an ornate cross, the obverse of this Venetian rarity features the instantly recognizable Venetian lion within the frame of a shield, surrounded by legends stating the name of St. Mark (the patron saint of Venice) and the name of the esteemed city. The denomination of 140 Soldi below indicates a strike with dies normally intended for the production of that type (cf. KM613), which, taken together with the piece's production in gold, explains the denomination's name: the Scudo d'Oro. Inspection reveals a fully Mint State preservation, glistening brilliance enlivening the fields at every turn. While some lightness of strike is evident atop the winged lion, the general impression is otherwise one of immense and clear detail, the struck features sharply expressed and decidedly crisp in character. Even friction is minimal throughout, and this offering would likely have been recognized for that preservation if not for a pair of short scratches to the right obverse field. However, these seem largely irrelevant in light of the piece's numismatic significance, and we accordingly expect strong bidding for the right to own this rare representative hailing from "The Most Serene Republic."

HID09801242017

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