Milano. Ludovico Maria Sforza called il Moro, 1494-1499. Special issue of the testone, AR 19.59 g. ø 28 mm. Small head of St. Ambrose LVDOVICVS M – SF ANGLVS DVX MLI Armoured bust r. Rev. Small head of St. Ambrose PP ANGLE Q3 CO AC IANVE D 7 C’ Coat of arms surmounted by crown with palm and olive branches; at sides, fire-brands with buckets. Ravegnani Morosini 5. Crippa 6. MIR 229/3 (R5). MEC 12, 763. Of the highest rarity, only two specimens listed by Crippa. Lovely iridescent tone and good very fine Ex NGSA 8, 2014, 510 Among the most unusual issues of the Milanese mint under Ludovico Maria Sforza, known as il Moro, are the special testoni struck at double weight. These exceptional pieces reproduce the types of the regular testone but, as their name indicates, were struck on planchets approximately twice the normal weight. The standard testone of Ludovico weighed about 9.5 g, whereas the double-weight specimens approach 19 g. Their purpose remains uncertain. As noted by Crippa, the Milanese archival records contain no explanation for the reason or occasion of their production, and they therefore cannot be securely connected with any specific monetary reform, ceremonial event, or payment. Their exceptional weight and rarity, however, clearly distinguish them from ordinary currency issues. The production of pieces of double weight thus appears to have been an intentional departure from the normal monetary standard rather than a simple variation in striking. In the absence of documentary evidence, their function can only be approached by comparison with similar exceptional pieces known from other Italian mints. Such heavy specimens may have been produced for presentation, ceremonial or diplomatic purposes, or as prestigious pieces intended to commemorate a particular occasion. Their size and weight would have made them unsuitable for ordinary transactions, while their close correspondence with the regular testone types suggests that they remained conceptually linked to the monetary series rather than being conceived as medals in the strict sense. It is therefore preferable to regard these pieces as special issues of the testone, rather than to assign them a specific commemorative purpose for which no contemporary evidence survives. Their existence nevertheless illustrates the flexibility of Renaissance minting practice and the importance attached to the testone as both a monetary denomination and an expression of princely portraiture and political representation. The absence of archival documentation is itself significant: unlike formally recorded monetary issues, these exceptional pieces appear to have left little or no documentary trace concerning their intended use. Their precise purpose must consequently remain open, although their exceptional weight and extreme rarity strongly suggest that they were not intended for normal circulation. Please find here the video of the coin