The Lord Delivered Me...

CNG 108, Lot: 960. Estimate $15000. Sold for $9000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ITALY, Ferrara (ducato). Alfonso I d'Este. 1505-1534. AR Mezzo lira (28mm, 5.97 g, 12h). Dies by Giannantinio da Foligno. Struck 1522. (leaf) ΛLFONSVS · DVX · FERRΛRIΛ, armored bust left / · (leaf) · DE · MΛNV · LEONIS · (leaf), David standing left, holding lamp, with right foot on lion advancing left. Bellesia, Ferrara 15/B; MIR 277/1. EF, toned, natural flan flaw in obverse field. Very rare.

Ex Numismatica Genevensis 6 (30 November 2010), lot 525.

The reverse type and legend refer to the words spoken by David, just before his battle with Goliath: “The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17.37) This is a clear allusion to Alfonso’s contemporary struggles with the Medici Pope Leo X and his rejoicing after the pontiff's death in December 1521.