Coinage Of The Este Lords And Dukes Of Ferrara 1344-1597

I've slowly been compiling an OFER (One From Every Reign) for medieval Ferrara, a small city-state in northern Italy near the mouth of the Po river, wedged between the better known historical political entities of the Venetian Republic (to its northeast), the Papal States (to its south) and DUchy of Modena (to its west). Today it is the northeasternmost part of the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

From an historical and political viewpoint, Ferrara is among the rare Italian cities that did not exist in Roman times (Venice being the most noteworthy). It is only mentioned in records since the late 8th century, became a fiefdom of the pope in 774, an independent commune/republic by the turn of the millenium (the first one ). By the mid-13th century, the Este family gained control of the city, presiding over its flourishing as a center of art during the Renaissance, its elevation to a duchy in 1471, and its passing back to papal authority in 1598 when the last Este duke, Alfonso II died without a legitimate heir. (Another branch of the family remained in control of Modena and Reggio for another two centuries).
Today, Ferrara is best known for its intact, moated medieval castle, and intact ramparts used by runners and for the daily passegiata, its medieval quarter, and regional museums. And for a signature pasta dish, capellacci di zuccha (hat shaped ravioli stuffed with pumpkin puree) which I enjoyed often on business trips there in the 1980s and 1990s

From a numismatic viewpoint, coins of Ferrara are similar to those of other Italian city-states in the late medieval-period, based on the scudo (denaro (=1/240 scudo), quattrino (1/60), sesino (1/40), etc. Small denominations in silver and billon were the norm until the second half of the 15th century, at which point the first gold ducats are struck, followed by spectacular Renaissance designs on the larger silver denominations of Ercole I 1471-1505 and his successors. Devices which recur are the Este family symbol, a splayed eagle, sometimes crowned, with head facing left (also seen on Modena coins), and the city arms of Ferrara, a shield divided horizontally in half.

Starting in 1598, Ferrara minted coins as a Papal State, with denominations and designs matching those of other Papal States. These are more widely available (a quick look on ebay shows that 95% of the Ferrara coins for sale there are from the Papal period)

I've posted a few of these on various CCF threads, but thought it might make sense to have a thread that collects them in one place. If anyone else has coins from this place and era, please join in!

Obizzo III d'Este (Lord or Marquis of Ferrara 1317-52)
Obizzo's reign coincided with the passing of the Black Death through Ferrara in the spring and summer of 1348.
Just one type was minted during his reign, a denaro (13 mm, 0.5 g.) assigned a date range 1344-52:



Obv: Splayed eagle, head facing left inside reeded circle. (shield) OPZ MChIO
Rev: Gothic F between two large dots inside reeded circle. (shield) * E o RA o RIA *
References: MIR 217; CNI X, p.419/2(var.)