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4 Zecchini - Antonio Manoel de Vilhena
| Issuer | Order of Malta (Knights of St. John) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1723-1724 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
| Reverse lettering | M · M · HOS : ET S · S · HIERVSAL : 1723 |
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| Additional information |
Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, a Portuguese nobleman elected Grand Master in 1722, used his early years in office to consolidate the Order's financial credibility after a period of internal instability. The 4 Zecchini denomination was among the heavier gold multiples struck at the Valletta mint, intended less for everyday commerce than for large transactions, gifts of state, and the payment of mercenary forces garrisoning the island's fortifications.
Restelli's attribution system remains the standard reference for Hospitaller coinage precisely because official mint records from this period are fragmentary — survival rates for these high-denomination pieces are low, and the two-year window of issue makes the type genuinely scarce rather than artificially so.