My World Crown Affair
17th Cent, Naples Ducato
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Coin Details
| Origin/Country: |
ITALY - PRE- NAPOLEONIC |
| Item Description: |
DUCATO 1684 NAPLES & SICILY DAV-4045 |
| Full Grade: |
NGC AU 53 |
| Owner: |
jgenn |
Owner Comments:
1684 ducato of the Kingdom of Naples (and Sicily). The obverse shows the bust of Charles II, ruler of the Spanish Empire which, at this time, included the Southern portion of Italy and the island of Sicily. The reverse has the legend VNVS NON SVFFICIT (one is not enough) which was previously seen on medals and printed works of art as VNVS NON SVFFICIT ORBIS (one world is not enough), and depicts a pillar surmounted by a crown and two hemispheres of the globe. The initials on the reverse are for the mint official Andrea Giovane and assayer F. Antonio Ariani. On the obverse, the initials under the bust are for the engraver Giovanni Montemein.
It seems unlikely that Francisco Hernández Escudero was unaware of this coin when he designed the iconic pillar dollar in 1729, a coin that would become so successful as a trade dollar across the globe.