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Grossetto of 2 Soldi - Ercole I Unicorn
| Issuer | Ferrara, Duchy of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1471-1505 |
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| Value | 2 Soldi = 1 Grossetto (0.1) |
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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 | A displayed imperial double-headed eagle with both heads turned outward dominates the central field, its wings spread and talons visible at the base, rendered in bold relief characteristic of hammered Este coinage. The surrounding legend reads · NOBILITAS · ESTENSIS · in capital letters with lozenge-shaped stops, referencing the nobility of the Este dynasty. A beaded border frames the entire reverse design. |
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| Additional information |
Ercole I came to power in Ferrara in 1471 only after suppressing a coup attempt by his nephew Niccolò, a dynastic crisis that nearly ended Este rule entirely. The unicorn device he adopted — and placed on this coin — was a personal impresa, a Renaissance practice of encoding princely virtue and identity into imagery with deliberate, literate intent. Ferrara under Ercole became one of the most sophisticated courts in Italy: Ariosto was writing there, and the monetary output of the Este mint reflected that self-conscious grandeur.
The CNI records at least four die pairings for this type across its thirty-four year emission window.