Bezzo type I - Francesco Venier

Francesco Venier's dogeship lasted barely two years, from 1554 to 1556, cutting short what had been a distinguished diplomatic career. The bezzo was a minor fiduciary denomination — its silver content deliberately kept low relative to face value — issued in quantity for small retail transactions in the Venetian markets and lagoon settlements. Paolucci's type I classification distinguishes this emission from later variants by specific die characteristics, though the extremely low weight means surviving pieces are almost invariably found bent, clipped, or with edge damage from casual handling.