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2 Tari - Jean de Vallette
| Issuer | Order of St. John |
|---|---|
| Year | 1557-1568 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Full-length standing figure of Saint John the Baptist facing slightly left, robed in a flowing mantle, his right hand raised in a gesture of proclamation and his left hand holding a long cross-staff. The saint is depicted in a bold, somewhat stylized manner typical of hammered silver coinage of the mid-sixteenth century. A beaded inner border frames the design. The circular Latin legend surrounding the figure reads PARATE VIAM DOMINI, taken from the Gospel of Mark, meaning 'Prepare the way of the Lord,' affirming the Order's dedication to its patron saint. |
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| Additional information |
Jean de Vallette's grand mastership coincided with the Great Siege of 1565, when Ottoman forces under Suleiman the Magnificent besieged Malta for over three months. The Order's finances were stretched to their limit supplying the garrison, and coinage continued throughout — these silver tari circulated among defenders and relief forces alike. The city of Valletta, founded immediately after the siege's conclusion, bears his name directly.