ITALY, Papal States. Rome. Vicenzo Costaguti, Cardinal, 1612-1643-1660. Medal (Bronze, 41 mm, 27.29 g, 12 h), by A. Hamerani, on the start of the construction of the Villa di Bell' Aspetto, designed by the architect Giovanni Antonio De Rossi, Rome, 1647. VINCENTIVS∙S:R:E:DIAC:CARD: COSTAGVTVS Bust of Cardinal Costaguti to right, wearing a mozzetta; below the bust, MDCXLVII; on the truncation, ∙HAMERANVS∙F∙. Rev. VT∙GRAVIORA∙AMŒNIORIBVS∙ LENIRENTVR (= so that a severe landscape may be bettered) View of the Villa Costaguti, now the Villa Borghese, within its gardens near the coast at Anzio (actually, Nettuno); in the exergue, Costaguti arms, crowned by a beretta, separating IN∙ANTII-LITTORE / EXTR-VCTA (=erected on the shore at Anzio). Cf. Bargello 529 (but cast, not struck as this). A lovely, sharply struck example, with an attractive tan patina. Good extremely fine.

From the collection of a Bon Vivant.