13 Gold Coins from Venice Detected in Türkiye with eXp 6000

Region: Kayseri, Türkiye
Estimated value: USD 31,200.00
Time of origin: 1382-1413


A treasure hunter found 13 gold coins in Türkiye with the 3D ground scanner eXp 6000. The gold coins are coins of several doges of Venice, Antonio Venier and Michele Steno. Thus, the age of the coins can be narrowed down to the period between 1382 and 1413.

What is particularly remarkable about this find is the distance between the place of discovery and the place of origin of the coins: There is a distance of at least 2,000 km (1,243 miles) between Venice and the place of discovery in Kayseri, Türkiye. This distance suggests Venice's trade relations and power expansion.

13 Venetian Gold Coins Found with OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus
13 Venetian gold coins found with OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus
13 Venetian Gold Coins Found With OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus
Obverse of the gold coins: Doge (right) kneeling before Saint Mark (left), who hands him a banner with the inscription "DVX". The motif is framed by the inscriptions "S.M.VENETI" (left) and the name of the Doge (right). On closer inspection, you can see that there are different inscriptions.
13 Venetian Gold Coins Found With OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus
Reverse of gold coins: Jesus Christ from the front, surrounded by 9 stars, with the Gospel in his left hand and his right hand raised to bless someone. The oval is framed by the inscription "SIT.T.XPE.DAT.Q.TV REGIS.ISTE.DVCAT".

Venice: 10 Centuries of Power

Today's city of Venice was once a great European dominion in the Mediterranean and a center of cultural development. Founded in the 7th century AD, the city-state was once one of the richest and most influential powers in Central Europe. The Venetians were a great maritime power, they controlled the trade throughout the Mediterranean and also maintained trade relations with the Ottoman Empire.

The Doges of Venice

Doges were lifetime leaders of the Republic of Venice between the 8th century and 1797. Originally, these leaders were appointed as local deputies under the Byzantine Emperor in Upper Italy. With Venice's independence from Byzantium, a doge became the ruler of a so-called dukedom. Until the 11th century, attempts were made to establish a dynasty through clever marriage policies and inheritance of offices. Only the introduction of a complicated election procedure ensured a balance between the dominant families. The power of the heads of state was increasingly limited until finally doges were only representatives of the noble republic.

In 1797, just a few days before Napoleon occupied Venice, the last Doge Ludovico Manin abdicated after the Great Council dissolved.

Venetian Gold Coin Found With OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus
Gold coin (ducat), probably minted under Antonio Venier, with partly difficult to recognize name inscription "ANTO.VENERIO" on the right.

Antonio Venier – 62nd Doge of Venice

Antonio Venier is a descendant of the Venier family, one of the 16 new families, the case nuove from Venice. The Venetian patrician family Venier provided with Antonio, Francesco and Sebastiano Venier three doges of Venice.

Elected for life by the aristocrats of Venice, Antonio Venier ruled from 1382 until his death in 1400. During that time, the Republic of Venice gained dominion over some territories and islands, such as the island of Mykonos or parts of the Duchy of Athens. Trade relations were also improved and defended during Antonio Venier's time. Especially the reopening of trade with England was a great milestone.

Of course, the Republic of Venice also suffered losses: In an attempt to push back the Ottomans, they lost the province of Argos in the northeastern Peloponnese to the Ottomans. However, the Republic of Venice later got this back through treaties with the Ottoman Empire. Antonio Venier's reign ended with his death on November 23, 1400.

Venetian Gold Coin Found With OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus
Gold coin (Zecchino), probably minted under Michele Steno, with difficult to recognize name lettering on the right.

Michele Steno – 63rd Doge of Venice

Michele Steno, born around 1331, was involved in conspiracies before his election as Doge, but also held influential offices as consigliere, admiral and diplomat. He was married to Marina Gallina, a member of one of the tribunician families, and had the chapel of San Domenico built in San Zanipolo. That he liked to surround himself with works of art and beautiful objects is also shown by his donation of the so-called Steno-window for the decoration of the south front of the Doge's Palace.

The Great Council elected Michele Stenos to the office just a few days after the death of the previous Doge. During his 13-year rule from 1400 to 1413, Michele Steno succeeded in recovering Dalmatia, which had been ceded to Hungary in 1358. With him also began the expansion of the state territory to the upper Italian mainland, the Terraferma. Under Steno, the number of members of the Senate was doubled and the Court of Auditori nuovi alle sententie was established, which was responsible for legal cases as well as controlling the administration on the Terraferma.

Steno died in 1413 as an influential representative of a stable state, endowed with riches and real estate.

3D Ground Scanner OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus Shows its Capabilities

The 13 gold coins, with an estimated value of € 500 to 2,000 each, were found by an OKM customer in Turkey's Kayseri province. He used the eXp 6000 3D ground scanner, which can detect treasures and artifacts like the gold coins in vessels at very great depths. OKM eXp 6000 Pro Plus has been used by OKM customers to find treasures at depths of up to 25 meters. The eXp 6000 is one of the most comprehensive 3D ground scanners in OKM's range, with its six operating modes it can be used in a wide variety of search projects. In addition to the three-dimensional visualization of the subsurface, the 3D ground scanner can also detect cavities and natural mineralization of the ground.



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