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Bezzo type I - Nicolo of Ponte
| Issuer | Venice, Republic of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1578-1585 |
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| Value | 1/2 Soldo (1⁄40) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central Greek cross with a pellet at the tip of each arm and two pellets in each angle between the arms, all contained within a beaded inner circle. The surrounding legend, rendered in Latin characters, identifies the issuing doge. The design is characteristic of the crude hammered workmanship typical of small Venetian billon coinage of the late sixteenth century. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The bezzo was Venice's workhorse small change, and Nicolò da Ponte's seven-year dogeship produced this billon issue at a moment when the Republic was cautiously rebuilding its finances after the ruinous expenditure of the Cyprus War and Lepanto campaign. Billon coinage of this denomination circulated hard through the Rialto and the terraferma markets, and survivors in anything above well-worn condition are genuinely uncommon.