MALTA, Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Luis Mendez de Vasconcellos. Grandmaster, 1622-1623. AR Leeuwendaalder (40mm, 27.03 g, 3h). Host Good Fine. Countermark VF.

Triton XXVII
Lot: 1192. Estimated: $ 3 000

World, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 45 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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MALTA, Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Luis Mendez de Vasconcellos. Grandmaster, 1622-1623. AR Leeuwendaalder (40mm, 27.03 g, 3h). Coat-of-arms of Luis Mendez de Vasconcellos countermarked on a 1609 Dutch Leeuwendaalder of Friesland, with official test cut and snick at edge. Unpublished in the standard references. For general discussion on Maltese countarmarks, see: Gatt p. xx and online addendum. For host coin: CNM 2.16.45. Scattered marks, worn reverse die. Host Good Fine. Countermark VF. Extremely rare – the first recorded countermark of this Grandmaster.

Recently discovered in a lot of silver coins of a similar age, this Lion Daalder bears the edge cuts and countermark typical of the rare Crown or Taler size issues of the Knights of St. John in Malta from the early seventeenth century. The countermark on this piece displays the coat-of-arms of Grand Master Luis Mendes de Vasconcellos. A Portuguese nobleman, de Vasconcellos had a long and distinguished diplomatic and military career for the Order before becoming governor of Portuguese Angola in 1617. He was appointed the 55th Grand Master of the Order in 1622 but died after only six months of taking up office. Consequently all coins of his Grand Mastership are rare.

Prior to this discovery, countermarked crown-sized issues were known for only three grandmasters: Alof de Wignacourt, Antoine de Paule, and Jean-Paul Lascaris Castellar. All are very rare, with Gatt recording only 43 in his online addendum. No countermarked coins for De Vasconcellos have previously been recorded.

The final winners of all Triton XXVII lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 9-10 January 2024.

Triton XXVII – Session Four – Lot 984–1341 will be held Wednesday afternoon, 10 January 2024 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.

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