Coins and Medals of Malta, the Property of an Officer Brother of the Order of St John

Alof de Wignacourt, a Zeeland Liondaalder, 1617, mm. tower, obv. countermarked with arms of the Grand Master in shield, 26.50g/9h (Azzopardi p.199, 746-7; RS pl. lxxxix, 2; Schembri –). Coin good fine with old cabinet toning, countermark better, very rare £800-1,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Coins and Medals of Malta, the Property of an Officer Brother of the Order of St John.

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Provenance: Bt Spink.

In the early 17th century large numbers of European thalers were circulating in Malta, the spoils of victories over the Turks. An Edict of August 1609 required the owners of such coins to present them at the Mint for assay. Those of good silver were countermarked and returned to circulation