The Mint of Massa

There is in Massa one popular and ancient neighbourhood called "the Mint" where the coins of Cybo Malaspina, Lord of Massa, were minted. In 1559 the Marquise (later Prince) Alberico I of Massa one dynamic and Renaissance person, made his kingdom and his family famous and obtaining the license to mint coins from the German Emperor.
In Massa the mint began one interesting achievement by producing, thanks to several engravers (among them the famous Amerani, the clever engraver of the papal plates of the time) different kinds of gold, silver and copper coins. In these coins we can find, in both Renaissance and Baroque styles, the portraits of Alberico I, his successor Carlo I and finally of Alberico II, who obtained the title of Duke of Massa.
The coins of Massa so charming for the extraordinary diversity of their representations, help us to know the artistic complexity of the family's coat of arms ( the check scarf of Cybo, the thorn tree of Malaspina, the six balls of Medici, to witness of the noble relationship, the imperial motto "Libertas" and the eagle with two heads) and show us wonderful reverses with mottoes, allegorical and popular illustrations (S.Pietro,the hind ) and symbolic pictures (the anvil, obelisk, burning barrel, peacock, temple and the stars) which belong to the heraldic and popular heritage of Cybo Malaspina and of the town. In particular the portraits in the gold coins of Alberico I (4 scudi, 2 scudi, 1 scudo and one half scudo) recall the renaissance profiles of the most famous Medici's plates. The minter production of Alberico I is large and manifold: gold coins, silver plates, "testoni", "quattrini", "bolognini".... Amongst the large number of coins produced in Massa's mint we confine ourselves to mention the most particular and odd ones as the two gold scudi "della Vacca", still mentioned in the nineteenth-century and of which we have probably no more exemples left. Another rare piece is the silver plate which on the right side represents the bust of Alberico I and on the back the image of three deers crossing a stormy water-course: the motto stamped in Latin on the coin means "to go on or to die" and shows one Cybo Malaspina's qualities: the will to overcome every asperity.This symbolic representation recalls another in the 3 bolognini silver coin: in this case it deals with one hind. The animal goes back to an ancient legend of VI-VII century, which came from the borderland between Massa and Versilia. It narrates the history of a hind mysteriously escaped from a hunter. Malaspina liked this detailed legend and he decided to refer to it in his coin.
Resuming the short review of Massa's mintage we can't leave out neither the extremely rare gold and silver plates of Alberico I's successor, his nephew Carlo, nor his "tallero" which was an imitation of a famous north European piece and was designed for the east- trade.
Last but not least we have to mention the 8 bolognini silver coins of Alberico II, which portray him in the seventeenth-century style. The mint was closed in 1667. About 60 years later the Duke Alderano tried in vain to bring it back to life.
Finally we have to mention that Maria Beatrice d'Este Cybo Malaspina, Duchess of Massa, to provide for Massa need of small change a new monetary set be coined in Milan, which was dedicated to the city: a half lira, 4 soldi, 2 soldi and 1 quattrino. These pieces without much fascination represent the last testimony of a disappeared world, which can still exist thanks to those historical and evocative traces representing the roots of culture.

The Hind
it is the back of the famous 3 bolognini
silver coin. The animal recalls to an ancient legend
One 1588 double gold coin.

It represents the profile of Alberico Cybo Malaspina
A quadruple or two double ones of 1589
representing the profile of Massa's Prince