1/2 Testone - Louis III

Louis III Gonzaga ruled Mantua for over four decades and spent much of his reign as one of the most sought-after condottieri in northern Italy, commanding forces for both Milan and Venice at different points. The testone — a large-format silver coin bearing a portrait — was essentially a Milanese invention of the 1460s, and Mantua's adoption of the type reflects how quickly the Gonzaga court absorbed Sforza innovations. The half-testone sits at the edge of that experiment, struck in modest quantities for a small signorial mint with limited silver throughput.