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1 Scudo - Bonifacio IV Paleologo
| Issuer | March of Montferrat (Montferrat, Italian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1518-1530 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 3.41 g |
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| Obverse description | Crowned double-headed imperial eagle displayed in the field, with wings spread, the breasts superimposed by a shield bearing the arms of Casale (Montferrat). The eagle is rendered in the characteristic late-medieval hammered style with finely detailed feathering. A Latin legend in Gothic characters encircles the design within a beaded border, reading MONETA AVRE B M MO FE Z VI PP S IMP. The overall composition reflects the marquises' claim to imperial dignity as vassals of the Holy Roman Empire. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Bonifacio IV ruled Montferrat under the long shadow of French and Imperial rivalry over northern Italy, a pressure that defined his entire marquisate. The scudo issue falls squarely within the Italian Wars, when Montferrat's strategic position between French-held Milan and the advancing Habsburgs made even minor dynastic coinages politically charged acts. Bonifacio died in 1530 without a male heir, extinguishing the Paleologo line in Montferrat after over two centuries — this coinage comes from the final chapter of that dynasty.
Fr#170 places it within a very small body of Montferrat gold. Surviving examples are rare by any measure.