Sesino - Vespasiano Gonzaga

Vespasiano Gonzaga founded Sabbioneta from almost nothing — a minor feudal holding he transformed into a planned Renaissance city, complete with a palace, theater, and mint, all constructed within roughly three decades. The sesino was among the first issues struck there, predating his elevation to Duke by over two decades; at this point he held only the title of lord, having received the territory from his cousin Ferrante II. The Gonzaga mint at Sabbioneta operated on a small scale throughout, and billon issues from this opening period survive in genuinely limited numbers.