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4 Zecchini - Antonio Manoel de Vilhena
| Issuer | Sovereign Military Order of Malta |
|---|---|
| Year | 1722-1724 |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
| Reverse lettering | M · M · HOSP : ET S · S · HIER V: 1723 |
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| Additional information |
Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, a Portuguese nobleman elected Grand Master in 1722, used his personal fortune aggressively to modernize Malta's fortifications — the town of Floriana and Fort Manoel both bear his name and were funded largely through his own resources. The 4 Zecchini denomination served the Order's substantial international financial obligations at a moment when the Knights were still operating as a serious naval power in the Mediterranean, running corso warfare against Ottoman shipping under papal license.
At .986 fine, these are among the purest gold coinages struck by any European issuing authority of the period.