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1 Scudo d'oro - Johann Jakob Trivulzio
| Issuer | Lordship of Mesocco (Grisons) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1487-1518 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Central crowned shield bearing three scallop shells arranged two above one, the arms of the Trivulzio family, set within a beaded inner circle. A ornate crown surmounts the escutcheon. The surrounding legend, running clockwise within a beaded border, reads IO IA TRI MAR VIGLE ET MARES FRAN, abbreviating the titles and name of Johann Jakob Trivulzio, Marquis of Vigevano and lord of Mesocco. The hammered flan is of irregular circular form, characteristic of late 15th-century Italian goldsmithing. |
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| Reverse description | A bold fleur-de-lis cross occupies the center of the field, its four arms each terminating in a fleur-de-lis, with a small quatrefoil or annulet at the central intersection. The cross is rendered in high relief with fine detail, echoing the French-influenced coinage of the period. The surrounding legend, running within a beaded border, reads XPS VINCIT XPS REGNAT XPS IMPERAT — the celebrated Christogram acclamation proclaiming Christ conquers, reigns, and commands. The overall design closely follows the French écu au soleil type adopted by Italian lords under French influence. |
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| Additional information |
Johann Jakob Trivulzio acquired the lordship of Mesocco in 1483 after the valley's inhabitants — frustrated with the ruling Sax family — essentially sold their allegiance to him. A Milanese condottiere of considerable power, Trivulzio used the territory partly as a buffer holding and partly as a demonstration of sovereign ambition, which this gold scudo directly expresses. He would later defect to the French, commanding forces under Louis XII at the Battle of Novara in 1513, while Mesocco itself was ceded to the Grisons in 1506 — meaning many of these coins were struck under a lord who no longer physically controlled the territory.