Duchy of Genoa, Filippo Maria Visconti, Ducat

This ducat was minted in Genoa and is one the earliest ducats struck outside Venice, where they were developed. It was issued by Filippo Maria Visconti (1421-1435), whose coins still reflected medieval style of coinage – the obverse with the Christian cross, the reverse with the front wall of a temple. Only Filippo Maria's ambitious son-in-law Francesco Sforza, who would take over power in Milan in 1447, would start issuing coins with portraits in true Renaissance style.