1494 Prova del Testone

5631104.

ITALY, Antegnate (signore). Giovanni II Bentivoglio. 1494-1509. Cast Æ Prova del testone (27mm, 10.87 g, 9h). Dated 1494 (in Roman numerals). Bust right, wearing biretta and cape / · MA/XIMILIANI/ IMPERATORIS/ · MVNVS ·/ MCCCCLXXXXIIII ·. Cf. MIR 1 (for AV 4 Ducati) and 5 (for AR 2 Testoni); Levinson VII-7a; Frey 423B. Brown surfaces, scrape on obverse, minor flan flaws on reverse. VF. A rare pattern and the first dated Italian coin in bronze.