1 Zecchino / 1 Ducat    (sold for $246.0)

1709, Venice, Giovanni Corner II. Gold Zecchino Ducat Coin. 3.48gm!

Mint Period: 1709-1722
Denomination: Zecchino (Venetian Ducat)
Reference: Paolucci page 118/13, Friedberg 1372.
Condition: Lightly wiped and deformed, otherwise VF-XF!
Doge: Giovanni Corner II. (110th Doge of Venice, 1709-1722)
Diameter: 22mm
Weight: 3.48gm
Material: Gold!

Obverse: St. Mark standing right, presenting cross topped banner (without flag!) to kneeling Doge.
Legend: IOAN * CORNEL – S . M . VENET . / DVX (vertical along banner)

Reverse: Christ standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels.
Legend: SIT . T . XPE . DAT . Q . TV – REGIS . ISTE . DVCA
Comment: Halo of light (mandorla) with 15 st@rs around!

Buy with confidence!

Doge Giovanni Cornaro (II), in the S. Polo line of his family's Cornaro della Regina branch, was elected 22 May 1709 as the fourth and last Doge of the Cornaro family. Both his grandfather Doge Francesco Cornaro and great-grandfather Doge Giovanni Cornaro had preceded him in the office.

Giovanni was elected Senator, 1683, and Podestà [governor] at Brescia, 1691. In his long career he served as a member of the Council of Ten and held numerous other offices. Characterized as "a man of low profile and political harmlessness," he was elected Doge in a compromise move following a deadlock between the Diedo and Pisani parties.

Unfortunately, his reign occurred during the period when the implications of Venice's long military and political decline were becoming manifest. One of the most agonizing of the many adverse events of his tenure was the loss of Morea to the Turks.