ITALY, Milano (Duchy). Lodovico XII di Francia. 1499-1512. AR Testone (29mm, 8.61 g, 4h). First period. Struck 1499-1505. Near VF.

Electronic Auction 558
Lot: 751. Estimated: $ 1 000

The J. Eric Engstrom Collection: Milan, Silver

Sold For $ 800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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ITALY, Milano (Duchy). Lodovico XII di Francia. 1499-1512. AR Testone (29mm, 8.61 g, 4h). First period. Struck 1499-1505. Crowned and mantled bust right / St. Ambrosius on horseback right, holding flail and reins; crowned coat-of-arms below. MIR 236/2; Crippa 3/B; cf. MEC 12, 769 (for type). Toned, smoothed and tooled, light porosity, edge makrs. Near VF. Very rare, particularly this variety with Ambrosius’s cloak not on his arm.

From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection.

Louis XII seized control of Milan early in 1499, ousting the ruling Sforzas. Louis’s coinage in his Italian possessions bear the first veristic portraits of a French king on a coin. Testons bearing Louis’s portrait would follow in France some 15 years later.

Closing Date and Time: 20 March 2024 at 14:10:00 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.