Medieval Italy Milan 25 Soldi 1535 to 1556

Alfredo, what you have, if genuine, is quite a rare coin! The inscription of SALVS AVGUSTA at the top and PADVS MDL at the bottom match those found on the 25 soldi coin, also known as a denaro.

The beautiful coin in our picture comes from Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG (auction 69, lot 598) in London, Zurich, and Milan, where it sold for 1000 euros, about $1350 US dollars, in a 2012 auction. CoinQuest thanks Ars Classica for use of their coin image.

PADVS is the personification of the Po river,and MDL stands for Mediolanum, the latin name for Milan. Salus augusta roughly means 'emperor of safety' or 'emperor of welfare' promising the public that they need not worry too much about their lives - the ruler will take care of them!

Salus is also the ancient Roman personification of the welfare state. On the reverse, the river god Po is lounging back, letting water flow from an urn to symbolize the river. The goddess Salus is standing to the right, feeding a snake from a patera (a shallow ancient bowl).

Genuine coins weigh approximately 8.30 to 8.60 grams depending on wear, and they are 27 to 29 millimeters in diameter. They are struck in silver, and a coppery look is a sure-fire giveaway of an imitation strike.

The ruler of Milan at the time, Carlo V D'Asburgo in Italian, was Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1525, at the Battle of Pavia, Charles' forces recaptured Milan from France, and after assuming control of the important city, coinage was minted bearing the new rulers likeness. The design on this page was struck from 1535 to 1556.

Catalog values remain high across all values, as listed below:

worn: $600 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $1850
well preserved: $4000

Remember that these catalog values must be adjusted according to tips and tricks mentioned on our 'Important Terminology' page found at the top left.

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