Fredinand of Aragon

Ferdinand of Aragon (later Ferdinand II) (1467-96), as Duke of Calabria from 1494 and King of Naples from 1495. He was the son and successor of Alphonso II, and heir of the Brienne claim to kingdom of Jerusalem.

(c. 1450/1460-1499) Adriano di Giovanni de’ Maestri of Florence, called Adriano Fiorentino, sculptor and bronze-caster, was perhaps a pupil of Bertoldo; (based on his strong traces of that teacher’s influence). Died 1499.

Obverse: FERDINANDVS · ALFONSI · REGIS · F · DIVI · FERD · N · DIVI · ALFON.PRON. ARAGONEVS (leaf) and across field DVX CALABR: Bust facing right, wearing low cap with brim turned up and bearing device ‘W’(not visible due to wear), and close-fitting dress; long hair. Border of large pearls.

Reverse: PVBLICAE FELICITATIS SPES: Female figure, Felicitas, nude to waist, mantle hanging over right shoulder and covering lower part of body, seated facing left on chair holding in right hand four stalks of corn, large cornucopiae over her head in left hand; in field, eagle at left. with spread wings; above right arm, a ‘W’.

Note the peculiar use of the tall letters ‘F, I, N’; they possibly have some concealed meaning.