Fosdinovo. Luigino. Trade imitation?

[Levantiner]

I would assume that the  ports that shipped the lion thaler  and other European Silver coin to the levant were instrumental in the trade.  So  it would be Genoa, Livorno, Marseilles,  and perhaps Venice.  Venice isn't mentioned much in relation to the Luguino  but notably  Venice started producing the Leone ( 80 Solidi) for the Levant  just after the Ottomans banned the Liguino so I take that as a strong hint they were involved in shipping the coin. However of course they just may have been trying to produce a coin to fill the gap created by the banning.

[Pellinore]

And does the Leone look a bit like the Luigino?
-- Paul

[Levantiner]

No.   It has a  rampant Lion of St Mark on one side and is much like a ducat on the other.   But it was produced just after the Luigino was banned.   At that time there was a huge resurgence in demand for the Dutch Lion thaler.  When  looking at Coins produced for trade the general rule appears to be successful cons are easy to find and cheap, the failures( I assume based on its rarity the Venetian Leone  was a failure)   appearance at that time wasn't important silver content was the key..... the ottomans most often used European silver coins to make their own debased coinage

[Pellinore]

I just saw the Zwolle luigino in an auction description: nrs. 1967 and 1968, the last one (1664) apparently a very rare year.
-- Paul

[Levantiner]

I just saw the Zwolle luigino in an auction description: nrs. 1967 and 1968, the last one (1664) apparently a very rare year.
-- Paul

The 1664 is so rare that Camerano Author of the one catalog on the series omitted the date from his catalog because there was no evidence that it existed ( till now). 

[Levantiner]

Cammerano  states that the reverse of the Zwolle mint Luigini bears the image of St George and the dragon. In a discusion on a closed FB group one person seeing the reverse  immediately assumed it was St Michael( the Archangel).  I had always assumed the reverse was St george but that person posted a series of pictures showing St Michael on medals and the evidence was compelling, particularly noting that St Michael is portrayed with wings  while St George is portrayed as wingless.  Checking Purma I see a number of Zwolle mint coins from that era are listed as bearing the image of St Michael.   

I am now convinced the image on the reverse is that of St Michael( the Archangel)  slaying satan( in serpent/Dragon form)