ITALY - ITALIE Venice, Nicolas Tron (1471-1473). Ducat ND, Venice. Av. NICOL' TRONVS - S. M. VENETI/ DVX. The doge kneeling before Saint Mark standing, holding together the banner of the Republic. Rv. SIT. T. XPE. DAT. Q. TV - REGIS. ISTE. DVCAT. Christ, nimbed, standing, surrounded by stars, blessing and holding the Bible. Mont.192 - Fr.1235; Gold - 3.52 g - 21 mm - 2 h Top Pop (3): this is the finest graded example! NGC MS 62 (2135202-016). Slightly irregular flan, but the strike is centred and complete. Minimal strike weaknesses and minor circulation wear. Light golden patina. Rare. Superb at Fleur de coin. Venice in 1471 was relatively peaceful. Its external relations were poor with the Ottomans, against whom the Republic had been at war since 1463. However, in Italy, the Peace of Lodi marked the victory of Venice and Florence over the Visconti of Milan. This marked the beginning of a century of monument building and urban embellishment. The currency was the gold sequin, but imitations multiplied in neighbouring states, so much so that on 15 May 1472, the Great Council declared a general overhaul (LUCHESCHI, Count Dino - "Le doge Nicolas Tron et sa réforme". In: CIN - Paris, 1953, pp.387-388 and WEISS, Roberto - "Le monete del Doge Nicolo Tron ed un ritratto perduto di Gentile Bellini". In: Italia numismatica - Mantua, 1962, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 52 ff, ill.) The doge was Nicolas Tron, a character with a peculiar mentality, who grew rich through trade. This doge decided to issue a very special coin in the numismatic history of Venice: a silver lira of 4 gros, or 20 sous (6.52 g) with the doge's portrait on the right, hence its name: Lira tron. The doge is depicted realistically, with the special beard he has kept since the death of his son. This portrait was the one and only portrait in Venetian coinage. In fact, on 28 July 1473, Tron died and the Great Council imposed, by promission of 2 August 1473, that he should henceforth be represented kneeling before Saint Mark, out of humility. For the fifty-three doges who followed Tron, the coinage would remain without a portrait.