1640 Papal State Pope Urban VIII Anno XVII Annual Bronze Medal Quirinale Palace
Description: A nice large papal states bronze medal with the image of the bust of Pope Urban VIII who was pope in the period 1623-1644. The obverse of the medal shows the bust of the pope facing right with the inscription "VRBANVS.VIII.PONTA.MAX.AXVII" with the date 1640 in Roman numerals below the bust. The bottom of the bust has the intials G.M.F. for Gaspare Morone the artist who designed the medal. The reverse shows a building and fortification along its side. The building is the Quirinale Palace which housed the barracks of the Swiss Guard. The reverse has the legend "AD AEDIVM PONTIFICVM SECVRITATEM" which translates to "For the security of the papal house hold." Matthew Knox Averett has an interesting discussion about the significance of the Quirinale Palace on the reverse in his article on "Annual Medals Pope Urban VIII Barberini" in AJN Second Series 25 (2013) pp. 303-331. The medal is dark in toning and has nice eye appeal. The edge of the medal is plain and unmarked with what looks like filing marks. This is a nice looking medal, which would make a worthy addition to any collection. Please carefully review the photos as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: The medal is dated 1640.
Origin: Vatican or Papal/Roman States.
Artist: Gaspare Morone.
Weight and Size: The medal weighs ~47 grams, is ~47 millimeters in diameter, and ~3 millimeters thick at the edge.
Maker: Struck by the Mint of Rome.
Marks: Unmarked. Reference: American Numismatic Society (ANS 1956.163.1697), Mazio 212, Modesti-107, and Lincoln 1046 & 1047.
Condition: The medal is in extremely fine condition. The medal shows some wear to the high point, some scratching and a few dings to the surface. The edge of the medal is plain, unmarked, and shows what looks like filing marks. It has some minor scratches to the surface and some minor dings to the edge. These are minor and do not distract from the medal's beauty. A nice historic Catholic piece to add to your collection. Please view photos for additional condition information and to appreciate the beauty of the piece.
