Portrait of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Lord of Rimini and Fano (obverse)

Malatesta was both a ruthless military leader and a man of considerable learning and culture. His medals, largely used for propoganda purposes, are among the earliest examples of the medium and speak to the innovations in the classical tradition that he fostered in Rimini. The original model dates to 1446, but this cast probably dates to the late 19th or early 20th century.