Scheda ritrovamento

The so-called 'Oriental hoard' of Milan, as it is currently present in the Gabinetto Numismatico, consists of 162 coins which have been given the number B0001-B0162 (NB: the 'B' relates to the old 'Brera' designation). Of these coins, three late medieval coins from central Europe (B0106, B0113, B0140) are considered contaminations, possibly in relation to the Swiss passage which the hoard took, and are not considered in the further course of this discussion, leaving 159 specimens in the hoard as considered in this publication. These coins are deniers tournois minted in Mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, of which 17 are of the principality of Achaia (mint of Clarentza in the western Peloponnese) (nos. 1-17); 25 are of the duchy of Athens (mint of Thebes in Boiotia) (nos. 18-42), 5 are of the despot of Romania (mint of Naupaktos in present-day Aitoloakarnania) (nos. 43-47); and 103 are of the Catalan Company at Athens/Aragonese duchy of Athens (mint probably Thebes) (nos. 48-150). There are furthermore 2 counterfeit deniers tournois, which use the issues of Athens as their prototypes (nos. 151-152). Further, there are 3 pennies (dineros blancos or novenos.) of the kingdom of Castille-Léon (mints of Segovia, Seville, and perhaps La Coruña or Cuenca) (nos. 153-155); there are 3 copper issues of the crusader state of Tripoli (located in present-day Lebanon) (nos. 156-158); and 1 fine and large silver gros of the same authority (no. 159). Going forward, in this publication the hoard will be referred to as the 'Milan hoard (of Greek deniers tournois)'.

Osservazioni

The hoard was acquired by an unknown Milanese collector from an unknown Swiss dealer at one point in the nineteenth century. From this Milanese collector it passed into the main state-owned numismatic collection in Milan, known at the time as the 'Brera'. This also occurred in the nineteenth century. The numismatic collection of Milan had first been founded at the Milan mint in 1808. In 1817 it was transferred to the Brera library and collection. In 1913 these Brera coins were combined with the civic collection of Milan to form the new 'Gabinetto Numismatico e Medagliere', of the 'Musei del Castello Sforzesco'. While at the Brera in the nineteenth century, the present hoard had already been given the name 'Oriental hoard'. It reached the new Gabinetto Numismatico in a bag in 1913, and it was classified and put into trays in the 1920s by the then curator of coins Ludovico Laffranchi.

Luogo di conservazione

Milan, Civiche Raccolte Numismatiche.

Bibliografia

BAKER 2025.

Permalink

https://www.sibrium.org/CF/record.aspx?c=11329
https://sibrium.org/find/11329

Cronologia delle modifiche

30/03/2026 11:37:35 - Approved (l.gianazza)

30/03/2026 11:36:52 - Approved (l.gianazza)

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