Circular silver medal with eyelet for suspension; the face with the Cruiser Giovanni delle Bande Nere under way at speed, traversing right to left, circumscribed below ‘R. I. GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE’, an escutcheon above left; the reverse with the head and shoulders portrait in relief of Lodovico deMedici, circumscribed ‘IOANNES MEDICES DUX FORTISS. MDXXII’ (Giovanni Medici Strongest Duke 1522), with ‘900’ silver purity mark; a small age spot in front of the chin; diameter 26,12mm (1.03 inch). The Cruiser Giovanni delle Bande Nere was launched on 27 April 1930 and served in the Mediterranean before being sunk by the British submarine HMS Urge on 1 April 1942 whilst en route to La Spezia for repairs to storm damage. Lodovico de Medici (1498-1526) was a condottieri (mercenary) and was known as Giovanni dalle Bande Nere (Giovanni of the Black Bands) for the black stripes he added to his insignia following the death of his employer, Pope Leo X, on 1 December 1521. He died of wounds in Mantua on 30 November 1526.
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