Written by Greta Gazzaniga
In our upcoming Christmas Auction, we have the privilege of presenting a rich selection of coins struck during the pontificate of Clement XI, one of the most learned and influential figures of his time. His long reign was marked by complex political events, as well as an intense program of artistic and urban renewal within the city of Rome.
Indeed, his monetary issues offer a striking narrative of the historical events, ambitions, and symbolic imagery of the early 18th century.
Below, we present some of the most significant pieces featured in this auction.
The 1716 Gold Scudo
The obverse of this magnificent 1716 Gold Scudo (lot 551) features the papal coat of arms alongside the regnal year of Clement XI. The reverse, however, depicts an arch broken in several places.
This imagery refers to a crucial event: the Austro-Turkish War, which began in 1716 following the Turkish occupation of the Peloponnese, a direct violation of the Treaty of Karlowitz.
2025 Christmas Auction, Lot 551, Clemente XI (1700-1721) Scudo d’oro 1716 An. XVI
The Austro-Venetian forces, led by Prince Eugene of Savoy, recaptured the fortress of Petervaradino in 1716 and, the following year, advanced as far as Belgrade, bringing the conflict to a close in 1718.
The reverse legend, CONFREGIT POTENTIAS ARCUUM (“He broke the power of the bows”), taken from Psalm 85, celebrates the Christian victory and the destruction of the instruments of war.
1706 Gold Half-Scudo
The Gold Half-Scudo struck in 1706, though seemingly devoid of direct references to historical events, perhaps conceals a sophisticated message crafted by Ermenegildo Hamerani, master engraver of the Roman Mint.
2025 Christmas Auction, Lot 554, Clemente XI (1700-1721) Mezzo Scudo d’oro 1706
On the obverse, we find an eight-pointed star illuminating the sky above a choppy sea; on the reverse, a mountain divided into three peaks. Upon closer inspection, the two sides can be interpreted as a “deconstructed” version of the Albani family coat of arms, the house of Pope Clement XI.
It is a subtle visual enigma that reveals the artist’s ingenuity.
We move now to a group of three fascinating silver coins, all connected to the urban developments promoted in Rome under the reign of Clement XI.
The Year XIII Piastre
Between 1711 and 1713, the Eternal City saw the renovation of Piazza della Rotonda and the fountain facing the Pantheon. The commission was entrusted to the architect Filippo Barigioni, who decided to surmount Giacomo della Porta’s 16th-century fountain with the Macuteo Obelisk, an ancient Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by Domitian.
The two Piastre illustrate this project from different perspectives.
In lot 556, the fountain is isolated against a flat background, almost elevated to the status of sole protagonist.
2025 Christmas Auction, Lot 556, Clemente XI (1700-1721) Piastra An. XIII
In lot 557, however, the scene opens onto Piazza della Rotonda, with the fountain surmounted by the obelisk at its center and human figures bringing the space to life, much like a photograph of the time.
2025 Christmas Auction, Lot 557, Clemente XI (1700-1721) Piastra An. XIII
In well-preserved specimens — such as those offered in this auction — it is even possible to distinguish the Albani coat of arms at the base of the obelisk and the cobblestones (sanpietrini) of the pavement.
The Year XI Half Piastre
Turning our gaze ideally toward the Pantheon, we find it depicted in the magnificent Year XI Half Piastre, lot 563. The building appears, however, with a feature that has since disappeared: the two small bell towers designed by Bernini, completed in 1711 and demolished only in 1883 because they were disliked by the Roman people, who nicknamed them the “donkey’s ears” (orecchie d’asino).
2025 Christmas Auction, Lot 563, Clemente XI (1700-1721) Mezza Piastra An. XI
Here, too, the hand of Hamerani is unmistakable: the level of detail is such that it makes us perceive the coin as an authentic snapshot of early 18th-century Rome.
The issues of Clement XI are not merely numismatic objects, but true witnesses of their time: they tell stories of wars, restorations, family symbols, and urban transformations.
Extraordinary specimens that allow us to discover, coin by coin, the Rome and Europe of the early 1700s.
Read also: