(sold for $23.0)

1382, Doges of Venice, Antonio Venier.  Silver Grosso Coin. Damaged VF-XF!

Denomination: Grosso Mint Period: 1382-1400 Reference: CNI 16, Paulucci 2. Scarce! Doge: Antonio Venier (6th Doge of Venice, 1382-1400)  Condition: Welding scar at 12 o'clock (once used as jewellery), damage in field, otherwise VF-XF! Diameter: 22mm Weight: 1.91gm Material: Silver

Obverse: Doge, standing right, and St. Mark, standing facing, holding banner with flag of the Republic of Venice between them. Legend: ANTO VENERIO - . S . M . VENETI . / DVX   Reverse: Christ Pantokrator enthroned facing, flanked by privy mark (*) and control letter (F). Christogramm (IC-XC) in fields above.

A Christogram (Latin Monogramma Christi ) is a monogram or combination of letters that forms an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ, traditionally used as a religious symbol within the Christian Church. One of the oldest Christograms is the Chi-Rho. It consists of the superimposed Greek letters chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ), which are the first two letters of Greek χριστός "Christ". It was displayed on the labarummilitary standard used by Constantine I in AD 312. The IX monogram  is a similar form, using the initials of the name Ἰησοῦς (ὁ) Χριστός "Jesus (the) Christ", as is the ΙΗ monogram, using the first two letters of the name Ἰησοῦς "Jesus". There were a very considerable number of variants of "Christograms" or monograms of Christ in use during the medieval period, with the boundary between specific monograms and mere scribal abbreviations somewhat fluid. The name Jesus, spelt "ΙΗΣΟΥΣ" in Greek capitals, has the abbreviations IHS (also written JHS, IHC, or ΙΗΣ), the name Christus , spelt "ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ", has XP (and inflectional variants such as IX, XPO, XPS, XPI, XPO, XPM). In Eastern Christian tradition, the monogram ΙϹΧϹ (with Overline indicating scribal abbreviation) is used for Ἰησοῦς Χριστός in both Greek and Cyrillic tradition. A Middle Latin term for abbreviations of the name of Christ is chrisimus.  Similarly, Middle Latin crismon, chrismon refers to the Chi Rho monogram specifically.

Bidwith confidence!

Antonio Venier (circa 1330 - 23 November 1400) was a Doge of Venice reigning from October 1382 to his death. He was interred in the Basilica di San Giovanni e Paolo, a traditional burial place of the doges.