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1/2 Ducat - Innocent VIII
| Issuer | Comtat Venaissin |
|---|---|
| Year | 1484-1492 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Ducat (3⁄2) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central device features the crossed keys of Saint Peter — the papal symbol of temporal and spiritual authority — depicted saltire-wise in the field, with the ornate bow ends of the keys displayed prominently at the base. Above the crossed keys, a papal tiara with triple crown surmounts the composition. The surrounding circular legend in Gothic letters invokes Saint Peter of Avignon, referencing the papal territory of Comtat Venaissin. The hammered strike produces a bold if somewhat irregular impression consistent with late 15th-century Avignonese mint practice. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | S PET RVS AVINIONIS (Translation: St. Peter of Avignon.) |
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| Additional information |
Comtat Venaissin was a papal enclave in Provence — not part of France, legally speaking — held directly by the Holy See since 1274. Innocent VIII's tenure there coincided with his deeply contentious pontificate in Rome, marked by the 1484 bull Summis desiderantes affectibus, which formally authorized inquisitorial proceedings against alleged witchcraft in the Holy Roman Empire. The Comtat's coinage answered to Rome rather than Paris throughout this period, a jurisdictional anomaly that persisted until the French Revolution.
The half ducat weight standard tracks Venetian influence on papal monetary practice in the region.