Description
The Medagliere of the Archaeological Museum of Parma houses one of the most important numismatic collections in northern Italy.
Its origins are linked to the excavations of Veleia, which brought to light an archaeological site of great interest: the numerous coins found constituted the first nucleus of the numismatic collection of the Museum. After the excavations of Veleia were suspended, the Medagliere was enriched with the acquisition of important numismatic collections, among which the Bissi and Strozzi collections are worthy of note, purchased in 1840 by the then director M. Lopez, thanks also to the generosity of Duchess Maria Luigia, always attentive to the promotion of every cultural initiative in the Duchy. These collections were extremely significant due to the presence of coins from the mints of Parma and Piacenza and coins from the Magna Graecia area of great value and rarity. These were soon joined by the issues of the Italian mints, from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the collections of medals, as well as the collection of Farnese, Bourbon and Maria Luigia dies and punches.
Starting from the first years of Maria Luigia’s government, the finds made in the area, including coins, were also destined for the Museum of Antiquities: among the main excavation cores are the treasures of the Teatro Regio, Via Mazzini, Cortemaggiore and, more recently, the set of coins found in the excavation of Piazza Ghiaia or Palazzo Sanvitale. Over the course of about two centuries, therefore, the Parma Medagliere has undoubtedly become one of the most important collections for completeness and quality of the pieces, providing complete and coherent documentation of the numismatic find, from its origins to the present day.
Bibliography
Complesso monumentale della Pilotta: il medagliere
Vol.1 Storia e documentazione, edited by Serafina Pennestrì, with the collaboration of M.Cristina Burani and Marco Podini, Roma, MiBACT, 2018
Vol.2 L’inventario del tesoro: dalle raccolte ducali alle vetrine virtuali del Portale numismatico dello Stato, edited by Serafina Pennestrì, with the collaboration of Marco Podini, Roma, MiBACT, 2018
www.numismaticadellostato.it/web/pns/patrimonio/vetrine/parma
Artworks and Collections
