MALTA: Emmanuel de Rohan, 1775-1797, AE 4 tari (5.92g), 7 countermarks on worn Maltese host coin (Giovanni Paolo Lascaris, KM-68): crowned crescent (1741-73), MA monogram (1741-73) // double-headed eagle (1636-57), head of St. John (1660-63), crowned lis (1690-97), Agnus Dei (1775-97), crowned arms of Aragon (1775-97), VF on Good host. Beginning with Jean-Paul Lascaris Castellar (1636-1657), the countermarking of copper 2 and 4 tari coins occurred between 1636 and 1795 to prevent the prevalent counterfeiting of such coins. Even though heavy fines were imposed on those caught, the practice continued to the point that even the countermarks were being forged. As a result, two of the Grandmasters, Emmanuel Pinto and Emmanuel de Rohan, each employed two different countermarks during their reigns.
Estimate: 75-100 USD