From the Cahn Collection

Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 1845. Estimate $20000.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $20000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY, Ferrara. Ercole I d'Este. Duke, 1471-1505. AR Testone (7.74 g, 11h). · HERCVLES · FERRAR · DVX · II, bare head right / Seven-headed Hydra. CNI X 33; Morosini 4; Biaggi 769. Choice EF, toned. Artistic craftsmanship.

Ex Herbert A. Cahn Collection (Münzen und Medaillen AG 87, 4 June 1998), lot 487.

This wonderful reverse type refers to the construction of the Addizione Erculea, a northern suburb of Ferrara. The area where the addition was made was covered with malaria-ridden swamps which had to be filled before construction could begin. To symbolize this monumental task, Ercole chose a scene from the exploits of his namesake, Hercules, who slayed the mythological seven-headed Hydra, and placed it on his coinage.