Prieure de Sion Posted June 30, 2023 · Member Share Posted June 30, 2023 My goodness - I'm pretty stupid myself. I only collect antique coins - I don't have any coins from the Middle Ages - and yet I've already bought another one... It's just that when - for whatever reason - I see a coin that I like simply because of the way it's depicted, I can't keep my hands off it. But I have zero idea from that time and don't even know what I bought. I only liked the representation of the obverse and reverse. And then I made the dealer an offer, I thought he wouldn't accept it anyway - and now I have another medieval coin like that 😄 What I know: Venice, probably Giovanni Gradenigo... ?!? Help please 😉 ...! @JeandAcre ... and all the other medieval experts. What can one roughly say about this coin? I don't want a detailed expert opinion - I would only be interested in a very rough idea of what this coin is. Thank you very much. 13 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted June 30, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted June 30, 2023 (edited) It's this soldino. Not so frightening 🤣 Edited June 30, 2023 by John Conduitt 3 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeandAcre Posted June 30, 2023 · Member Share Posted June 30, 2023 Between @John Conduitt and your own perspicacity, you've got it nailed, @Prieure de Sion. The only fun trivia to add, since ancients are your bailiwick, is that the denomination's name comes from the Roman solidus. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted June 30, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted June 30, 2023 3 minutes ago, JeandAcre said: The only fun trivia to add, since ancients are your bailiwick, is that the denomination's name comes from the Roman solidus. Yes and somehow they turned out very different. The Roman solidus was a solid gold coin, but by the time you get to C17 Europe, it's billon and you can often buy one for less than $5. The full transformation (humiliation?) can be seen in modern Vietnam, where you get 100 xu to the dong (the solidus became the French sou, which became the Vietnamese xu). A xu is worth USD0.00000042. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTcoins Posted June 30, 2023 · Member Share Posted June 30, 2023 For that matter, the British pre-decimal £/s/d system stood originally for libra/ solidus/ denarius. 4 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted June 30, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted June 30, 2023 50 minutes ago, DLTcoins said: For that matter, the British pre-decimal £/s/d system stood originally for libra/ solidus/ denarius. And because of that, the / is called a solidus. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted June 30, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted June 30, 2023 That is a really nice soldino. Your Doge was part of a powerful Venetian family, which produced several Doges. Giovanni Gradenigo was Doge #56 and took office in 1355. Pietro Gradenigo (below) was Doge #49 and served from 1289-1311. 9 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted July 1, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted July 1, 2023 Thanks! And again I have learned something. It's great that we can learn so many new things in general with our coins 🙂 ... 2 hours ago, Hrefn said: That is a really nice soldino. Your Doge was part of a powerful Venetian family, which produced several Doges. Giovanni Gradenigo was Doge #56 and took office in 1355. Pietro Gradenigo (below) was Doge #49 and served from 1289-1311. Wow... I love general the Gold Zecchino coins ... but your example is one of the best I ever seen. Fantastic! Gratulation! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edessa Posted July 1, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 1, 2023 Not a stupid purchase at all. You were smart enough to buy a very nice example. Most of these types are not rare but are more usually found in a worn condition. They were a solid commercial coin that received much use. Italy, Venice. Doge Francesco Dandolo, AD 1329-1339. AR Soldino (16mm, 0.83g, 7h). Obv: +•FRA•DAN DVLO•DUX•: Doge kneeling left, holding Banner. Rev: +•S•MARCVS•VENETI• ; Lion of St. Mark, advancing left, holding Banner. Ref: CNI VII 31; Papadopoli 12; Paolucci 4; Biaggi 2810. About Fine, nice toning. From Wikipedia: "Several medieval chronicles narrate the translatio, the removal of Saint Mark's body from Alexandria in Egypt by two Venetian merchants and its transfer to Venice in 828/829.[2] The Chronicon Venetum further recounts that the relics of Saint Mark were initially placed in a corner tower of the castrum, the fortified residence of the Doge and seat of government located on the site of the present Doge's Palace.[3] Doge Giustiniano Participazio (in office 827–829) subsequently stipulated in his will that his widow and his younger brother and successor Giovanni (in office 829–832) were to erect a church dedicated to Saint Mark wherein the relics would ultimately be housed. Giustiniano further specified that the new church was to be built between the castrum and the Church of Saint Theodore to the north. Construction of the new church may have actually been underway during Giustinian's lifetime and was completed by 836 when the relics of Saint Mark were transferred.[4]" 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted July 3, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 3, 2023 Nice coin – and not a stupid purchase at all. In contrast to many other soldini, including mine below, your coin is in good shape and not clipped. It is from the time when la serenissima was the dominant mercantile force and naval power in the Mediterranean, adding additional interest. Italy, Republic of Venice, under Giovanni Dolfin (57th Doge), AR soldino (slightly clipped), 1356-1361 AD. Obv: +IOh’S DELPhYNO DVx; kneeling doge holding banner l., . Rev: + S MARCVS VENETI; lion of St. Marc with banner l.; in field l., S. 14mm, 0.43g. Ref: MEC12, 1164–1165. 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeandAcre Posted July 4, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 4, 2023 Yeah, I'm eating a lot of cookies lately! But this is a seriously fun and enlightening thread, about a denomination that's later than I'm conversant with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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