1 Zecchino - Manuel Pinto de Fonseca

Manuel Pinto de Fonseca held the Grand Mastership longer than any other in the Order's history — over three decades — and governed Malta through a period of genuine political tension with the papacy and growing friction with European powers skeptical of the Hospitallers' continued relevance. The Zecchino issued under his reign directly imitated the Venetian ducat in fineness and weight, a deliberate choice that kept Maltese gold acceptable in Mediterranean trade circuits where the ducat was the benchmark.

The Fr#33 and Fr#33a distinction reflects a documented variation between issues, though attribution in hand can be difficult without reference to die study.