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1 Osella - Alvise Mocenigo II
| Issuer | Republic of Venice |
|---|---|
| Year | 1700 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 13.51 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | An allegorical figure of Fortuna, depicted in dynamic motion running to the left, treads upon a shattered wheel — the broken wheel of Fortune — symbolizing triumph over the vicissitudes of fate. From the upper right, a lightning bolt descends from stylized clouds, assailing the figure, reinforcing the theme of providential resilience. The surrounding legend, divided across the field, frames the allegory in a bold Latin inscription. The design is executed in a vigorous Baroque manner consistent with the finest Venetian medallic tradition. |
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| Additional information |
The osella was Venice's answer to a persistent diplomatic problem: the Doge was obligated by ancient custom to distribute live wildfowl (uccelli, hence the name) to members of the Great Council each New Year, a practice that had grown logistically absurd by the sixteenth century. The Senate converted the tradition to struck silver pieces in 1521, and gold versions — struck in far smaller numbers — were reserved for the most senior recipients and foreign dignitaries.
Alvise Mocenigo II held the dogeship from 1700 to 1709, and this piece dates to his inaugural year. Gold osellas of any reign are genuinely scarce; survival in collectible condition is rarer still, as they passed through hands that actually used them as gifts rather than storing them as currency.