A significant collection of coins and medals minted in Malta by the Knights of St John and spanning nearly five centuries will go under the hammer next month.

Joseph Sammut, an authority on the subject, considers this collection of more than 400 pieces, put together by Italian Count Felice Restelli della Ratta, as the most complete set of Maltese coins offered for sale in years.

“The Restelli collection is rich in coins chosen both for their artistic merit and for their nearly flawless condition,” Mr Sammut, a member of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, said.

“Restelli’s collection is fascinating because of the Order of St John itself and also because the numismatic production was carried out in the Order’s mint at the top of Old Mint Street in Valletta,” he said.

The only collection of the same importance as the Restelli was that of Canon Calleja Schembri, author of “a monumental book” on Maltese coins, he said. His collection was sold in Lugano, Switzerland, in April 1932. What steals the collection is a 12 Zecchini 1725 piece, the highest denomination in the Order’s coinage, of which no more than four specimens are known, one of which is on show at the National Museum of Archaeology. The piece has been estimated at 150,000 Swiss francs (about €117,500).

An outstanding part of the collection is a section containing 22 gold and 24 silver coins of Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, all of which are very rare.

The auction will be held at the Hotel Bauer, in Zurich on April 4.