Fr-426 (for type); cf. KM-107 (unrecorded date); cf. MIR-256 (same); cf. Lunardi-269 (same). Diameter: 56mm. Weight: 66.59 gms. Obverse: Full-length depiction of radiant Madonna and Child seated on clouds, Madonna holding a scepter in her right hand and with two winged cherubs crowning her above with a circlet of stars, "ET REGE EOS 1653 I A B" around; Reverse: Floriate cross with winged cherub's head in each angle, "+ DVX ET GVBERNATORES REIP GEN" around. Struck from silver Scudo dies (Dav-LS555). An unrecorded and apparently UNIQUE example of this date from the already EXTREMELY RARE 10 Doppie (20 Scudi d'Oro) denomination. This massive 56mm issue contains over two ounces in gold weight alone, and was likely struck in extremely limited quantities for use as presentation. We are able to trace only three other examples of the type as a whole in public auctions over the past 25 years.

If the unique status of this piece were not enough, the condition is superb, having escaped any trace of repair work, holing, tooling, heavy cleaning, or any other forms of the significant surface alterations commonly found upon large-sized Italian gold issues. The ornate design is struck to satisfying depth of detail, with no areas of major weakness and only a hint of friction atop the high points of the obverse. The majority of the surface luster has been retained, with fresh satiny shine cascading over the fields and peripheries. A perhaps once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire a problem-free example of one of the largest denominations in the Genoa "Madonna and Child" series.