The Siege of 1570

414, Lot: 732. Estimate $100. Sold for $500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY, Venezia (Venice). Coinage struck during the Siege of Cyprus. CU Bisante ossidionale (26mm, 6.22 g, 11h). Dated 1570. Lion of S. Marco reclining left, holding Gospel in paws / [V]ENETOR[V]/ FIDES INV/IOLABILIS/ BISANTE/ I in five lines. Paolucci 907 (R). VF, green patina, significant planchet flaw on reverse. Rare and historically interesting.

In July of 1570 the Turkish forces of Sultan Selim II invaded Cyprus. Nicosia quickly surrendered but Famagusta, against all odds, managed to fend off the Ottoman army for nearly a year. Such copper “bezants” were struck by the Venetian commander Marc’Antonio Bragadin as payment for his troops, with the expectation that these coins would be exchanged for proper gold bezants in the event of a favorable end to the conflict. The Venetian forces were hopelessly outnumbered, however, and were forced to surrender in August 1571. According to the terms of the surrender, Bragadin was guaranteed safe passage off the island, but the Ottoman general Lala Mustafa Pasha reneged. Bragadin was imprisoned and, shortly thereafter, flayed alive. His skin, stuffed with straw, was sent to the Sultan as a trophy.