Catalog
1 Zecchino - Philipe Villiers de L'Isle Adam
| Issuer | Order of St. John (Knights Hospitaller) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1521-1522 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | The obverse depicts Saint John the Baptist standing in full figure to the left, robed in a mantle, extending his right hand in blessing toward the Grand Master Philippe Villiers de L'Isle Adam, who kneels before him in a posture of devotion. Between the two figures rises a tall patriarchal cross surmounted by a decorative finial, with the Grand Master's initial 'F' (for Fra') prominently placed in the field beside the cross. The composition closely follows the Venetian zecchino tradition, with both figures rendered in a flat, stylized Gothic manner typical of hammered gold coinage of the early sixteenth century. The legend running along the outer border reads S • IOANNI F• PHILIPPVS, identifying Saint John and the issuing Grand Master. The coin is struck on an irregular flan with a beaded inner border visible at the rim. |
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| Reverse lettering | SIT • TXPE • DAT • REGIS • ISTE • DV • (Translation: Sit tibi Christe datus quem tu regis iste ducatus. Lord, you rule this duchy, may it be dedicated to you.) |
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| Additional information |
Philipe Villiers de L'Isle Adam became Grand Master in 1521 and within the year faced the Ottoman siege that ended the Knights' 200-year presence on Rhodes. This zecchino was struck in the final months before the island fell in January 1523 — the negotiated surrender allowing the Order to depart with their relics, archives, and artillery rather than be massacred. It is the first type listed in Friedberg's gold coinage reference, which reflects its position at the opening of a catastrophic chapter rather than any particular rarity premium.