Featured Francisco I di Medici Piastre PCGS AU55

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by princeofwaldo, Aug 23, 2020.

  1. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

    From the Stack's auction at the Bellegio a couple weeks ago... I love coins with a story, and this one really has a story.

    Piastre of Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany aka Davenport-8386. Population 1/0 finer at PCGS. Reverse depicts Christ over the River Jordan.

    First machine struck silver crown in Florence, very high tech for its day.

    Interesting guy Francesco, likely off'd his Austrian wife to elope with his Venetian mistress Bianca Cappello, who likely off'd her husband just prior to marrying Francesco. They eventually died a day apart and historians have argued ever since if they were poisoned or died from malaria.

    The art collection at the Uffizi and Pitti Palace? All of it belonged to Francesco, though the Uffizi itself dates to his father and the Pitti Palace much earlier.

    There is a hotel in Florence called the Palazzo Bianca Cappello where the future duchess lived while waiting for the Duke to become "available". A street view pic of it below. It's about 2 blocks from the Guicciardini where I stayed last summer in Florence (pic of our room there), south side of the Arno near Pitti Palace. If I ever go back, might have to spend a night at Francesco's love nest...,,.,

    Dsc_2639.jpg Dsc_2641.jpg Bianca1.jpg Bianca.jpg 12.JPG
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2020
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  3. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

    A few of the many great pieces in Francesco's collection now housed at the Uffizi, along with a pic of the Duke.
    Dsc_0573+.jpg Dsc_0554+.jpg Dsc_0579+.jpg Francisco1.jpg
     
  4. wcg

    wcg Well-Known Member

    That is an outstanding addition - congratulations! I like the "historically appropriate" patina of this one - it looks exactly how I envision pieces of this era.

    Minor question on terminology - is it piastre or piastra? I always thought the latter when it comes to Italian crowns of this time period. I was surprised to see piastre stated on the holder.
     
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  5. BasSWarwick

    BasSWarwick Well-Known Member

    .........very interesting story but it ended quite abruptly
     
  6. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

    Looks like HA uses the term Piastre as well, though NGC uses the abbreviation Pia. Interesting observation though, as I too generally think of early 20th century Egyptian coinage when the term Piastre comes up. Here's another example of the coin, this one NGC AU58 that sold for an astronomical sum 4 years ago. Sure makes me think I got a terrific deal on the one I just won.

    https://coins.ha.com/itm/tuscany/wo...377.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515
     
  7. wcg

    wcg Well-Known Member

    Wow - the HA piece had some spirited bidding 4 years back. I am not familiar with the series, but the date is 10 years earlier and its a different Davenport number, so perhaps there is more to the story on that particular one. Regardless, I think you hammered at a good price on the piece you bought.

    I am not familiar with the Jasmine Collection, but it appears to be pedigreed with some fine numismatic peers:
    https://www.stacksbowers.com/News/Pages/Blogs.aspx?ArticleID=the-jasmine-collection
     
  8. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

    Had not noticed that, but you're right, different Davenport number. Looks like the obverse is essentially the same, different reverse design. The legend is reversed. Also, apparently not Christ, but John The Baptist. Saw it described in a later Piastre as the River Jordan, so pretty sure I got that part right.
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2020
  9. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

    The next lot in the auction (also from the Jasmine collection) and also PCGS AU55, was a Piastre from Tuscany struck for:

    (from Britannica online).

    "Cosimo III, in full Cosimo de’ Medici, (born Aug. 14, 1642—died Oct. 31, 1723), sixth grand duke of Tuscany, who reigned for 53 years (1670–1723), longer than any other Medici, but under whom Tuscany’s power declined drastically".

    Marguerite-Louise d’Orléans, his spouse from an arranged marriage gave-up any pretense of a relationship with him and bailed-out of the marriage then headed back to France the year prior to this coin being struck. This coin is actually pretty well made, by the end of his reign the decline of the Tuscan state under the House of Medici had become so profound that even the coinage looked sloppy. At one time, I had cataloged an example from the early 18th century that was struck with dies so worn, that the device details looked like half melted ice cream.

    Reverse shows John The Baptist baptizing Christ above the River Jordan.

    All things considered, an exemplary specimen with original luster in the obverse legends. However, not nearly as desirable as the Fransesco coin if only because Cosimo III was such a corpulent loser compared to the dashing and handsome Fransesco. I spent less on the previous lot than I thought I would have to, so indulged in winning this one too.

    Dsc_2642.jpg Dsc_2643.jpg cosimo Medici.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2020
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  10. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

    PCGS census shows this Dav-8386 dated 1879 as population of (1), a single coin in MS63. Pretty sure that is actually this coin, now residing in a PCGS MS64 holder after being submitted for grade reconsideration but not yet updated in the census.

    It's up for auction next month at Nomisma Spa in San Marino, with an opening bid of €5,000 --or about $6,000 plus the juice. Possibly better struck than mine, the head detail on John The Baptist is for certain superior to my coin. Still, not sure if I would call this a true MS64 coin by any stretch without seeing it in-hand first. Looks like possible traces of PVC damage on the high points or maybe the greenish patina is natural?? Also, interesting that Davenport is no longer good enough for them, they instead attributed it by the MIR number. Isn't there a Biaggi number out there somewhere for this coin as well? Haven't seen it attributed as such in any past auction. Also, what is NGSA 30 years and why should I care?

    d-8386.jpg
     
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2020
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  11. wcg

    wcg Well-Known Member

    That is a real beauty. I am following to see what others have to say about the MIR and the NGSA 30 years.
     
  12. princeofwaldo

    princeofwaldo Grateful To Be eX-I/T!

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