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Blanc - Anonymous Imitating Papal Bologna bianco
| Issuer | Vianen, Lordship of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1556-1568 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 5.1 g |
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| Reverse description | A draped papal bust in right profile dominates the field, depicted wearing a papal cope richly decorated with ornamental detail and a papal tiara, closely imitating the style of the Bologna bianco issued under papal authority. The portrait is rendered in a competent hammered technique with characteristic broad facial features. The surrounding circular Latin legend reads PETRVS * APOS * PONT * MAX, invoking Saint Peter as Apostle and Supreme Pontiff, providing the religious authority underpinning this imitative coinage. Pellet stops separate the abbreviated legend elements around the beaded border. |
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| Reverse lettering | PETRVS * APOS * PONT * MAX (Translation: Apostle Peter, supreme pontiff) |
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| Additional information |
Vianen, a small lordship on the Lek river south of Utrecht, exploited a persistent loophole in Habsburg monetary policy: local lords retained nominal minting rights long after the centralizing edicts of Charles V had curtailed them elsewhere. This piece imitates the Bolognese bianco — a papal coinage — not out of deference to Rome but because the type circulated freely across the Low Countries and a convincing imitation would pass without scrutiny. The practice was openly commercial counterfeiting dressed in the language of sovereignty.
The Delmonte S#658 variety designation flags measurable deviation from the standard Bologna prototype in die execution.