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Doppia - Charles II
| Issuer | Duchy of Mantua (Italian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1647-1665 |
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| Value | 1 Doppia (8) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Elaborately decorated baroque cartouche enclosing a quartered heraldic shield bearing the combined arms of Mantua and Monferrato, with a central escutcheon of nine-fold arms. A crown surmounts the shield, above which appears a small representation of Mount Olympus. The collar and badge of the Order of the Redeemer encircles the composition. The legend ET MONTIS FERRATI ET C is distributed around the field, with the word FIDES appearing as a motto. |
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| Additional information |
Charles II inherited Mantua in 1647 as a minor, with his mother Isabella Clara of Austria holding the regency until 1669. The Gonzaga-Nevers line he represented was already economically exhausted from the War of the Mantuan Succession (1628–1631), during which imperial troops sacked the city so thoroughly that the population collapsed from roughly 30,000 to under 7,000. Gold coinage of this period was struck more for prestige and diplomatic gift-giving than for any meaningful commercial circulation — the duchy's finances simply could not sustain it otherwise.
Surviving examples frequently show uneven planchet preparation, a consistent characteristic of the Mantua mint under the later Gonzaga issues.