nomos . . . . . . auction I, zurich 6 may 2009
THE KNIGHTS of ST. JOHN on RHODES 185. Dieudonné of Gozon. 1346-1353. Ducat (Gold, 3.53 g 1), Rhodes, circa 1350-1353. F.DEODAT’/MGR/S IOhES B Grand Master, kneeling to left, holding staff bearing the flag of the Order, which is being given to him by St. John the Baptist, nimbate, standing to right Rev. +hOSPITALIS QVENT’RODI Angel, nimbate and with spread wings, seated facing on the open tomb of Christ, holding lis-tipped scepter in his right hand. Ash. p. 299 = F. p. 42 = Schlumberger pl. IX, 22. Fr. 1. Gamberini 372. Ives A = Papadopoli pl. XII, 1. Extremely rare, one of only three examples known. A splendid coin of great beauty. Nearly extremely fine. 100,000 Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 26, 27 June 2003, 3364. This is one of the most beautiful gold coins of the 14th century. The first example of this type was published in 1630 but has since been lost; the next specimen appeared in 1910. The second existing example turned up in 1980, and the present coin came to light early in this century. The angel seated on the tomb of Christ almost certainly must be copied from a contemporary painting. The Grand Master responsible for this lovely coin was Dieudonné de Gozon; prior to his election his greatest claim to fame was the destruction of a ‘dragon’ that was terrorizing the people of Rhodes (probably a large Nile crocodile that had escaped from a circus!). This coin was almost certainly struck towards the end of Gozon’s reign since equally rare examples of the same type were struck by his successor, Pierre de Corneillan (13541355). They must have been struck in very small numbers to be used for presentation purposes; they are now among the greatest rarities of all the coins struck by the Hospitallers.
3:1
185
129