ITALY, Venice. Domenico Contarini, 1659-1675. Ducat (Gold, 22.5 mm, 3.46 g, 3 h). S M VENITV / DVX / DOMIN CONT St. Mark (on left), nimbate, standing to right, presenting banner to Doge (on right) kneeling to left; in right field, countermark: Arabic sahha in rectangular punch. Rev. SIT XPE DATV Q TV REGIS ISTE DVCA Christ, nimbate, standing facing, raising his right hand in benediction and holding Gospel Book with his left; all within mandorla of 16 stars. Friedberg 1332. Paolucci 1. For countermark: Damali, pp. 1862-1863. Exceptionally sharp countermark. Holed. Wavy flan, otherwise, good very fine.

The countermark was applied in the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Süleyman II (1687-1691) as a guarantee of the gold's fineness.