ITALY, Firenze (Duchy). Alessandro de Medici. 1532-1537. AR Testone – 3 Barili (28mm, 9.89 g, 8h). Dies by Benvenuto Cellini. Struck 1534. VF.

Electronic Auction 559
Lot: 665. Estimated: $ 2 000

The J. Eric Engstrom Collection: Florence, Silver

Sold For $ 2 250. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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ITALY, Firenze (Duchy). Alessandro de Medici. 1532-1537. AR Testone – 3 Barili (28mm, 9.89 g, 8h). Dies by Benvenuto Cellini. Struck 1534. Armored bust left / Sts. Cosmos, holding papyrus scroll, and Damian, holding open book, standing facing. MIR 103. Toned, light scratches and hairlines, edge marks. VF.

From the J. Eric Engstrom Collection. Ex Stack’s, Bowers & Ponterio 177 (13 August 2013), lot 13236.

“Duke Alessandro gave me orders at once to strike dies for his coinage, the first a piece of 40 soldi with the Duke’s head on one side. This was in silver, and it gave so much satisfaction that the Duke did not hesitate to say these were the best pieces of money in Christendom. All Florence agreed, and so did everyone else who saw them. I struck four other sorts of coins to the satisfaction of the Duke.” – The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini

Closing Date and Time: 3 April 2024 at 13:41:20 ET.

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