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1 Tala Silver Serpent of Milan
| Issuer | Samoa |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Reverse description | The reverse depicts the Serpent of Milan, a heraldic biscione rendered as a large coiling serpent with a scaled, sinuous body that winds back and forth across the central field in three broad undulations, with the head raised at upper center and the tongue extended. The serpent's detailed scaled texture is rendered in high relief against a stippled background field. The entire central device is encircled by a broad wreath of naturalistic laurel branches with prominently veined leaves, which fills the border area and frames the serpent motif without any inscriptions on this face. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
The Serpent of Milan — the Biscione — has served as the heraldic symbol of the Visconti dynasty since at least the 13th century, and later became the emblem of the Sforza who succeeded them. Its origins are disputed: one tradition claims it was taken as a trophy from a Saracen knight during the Crusades; another ties it to older Lombard serpent cults predating Christianity in northern Italy. Samoa's involvement is purely a licensing arrangement, as the country has been a prolific issuer of themed bullion coins for the collector market since the early 2010s.