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30 Tarì - Ferdinand von Hompesch
| Issuer | Order of Malta (Knights Hospitaller) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1798 |
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| Diameter | 39 mm |
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| Obverse description | Armored bust of Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch facing left, wearing the habit of the Order with a prominent Maltese cross gorget and decorative shoulder armor bearing a lion's head motif. The effigy is rendered in high relief with fine engraving of the drapery folds. A dot appears below the truncation of the bust. The circular legend surrounding the portrait reads F FERDINANDVS HOMPESCH·M·M, identifying the Grand Master in Latin abbreviation. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim holds the singular distinction of being both the last Grand Master to rule Malta and the only German ever elected to the position. His tenure lasted less than two years. When Napoleon's fleet appeared off Valletta in June 1798, Hompesch surrendered the island after token resistance — a capitulation so swift and inglorious that he was subsequently stripped of the Grand Mastership by the Russian-backed faction of the Order. This coin was struck in the final months before that surrender, making it among the last issues of a sovereign Order that had held Malta since 1530.
The .3 variety designation within KM#345 reflects documented die differences among Hompesch tarì strikes — collectors should verify the specific reverse die against Dav EC III reference plates.