Product language: English. Medici brings the lively commercial world of 16th-century Florence to the table, where sharp judgment, good timing and bold bidding decide who comes out ahead. Players step into the role of merchants visiting the wholesale market to acquire valuable goods and load their ships with the best possible cargo. The atmosphere feels both elegant and competitive, with every round asking the same key question: how much is this opportunity really worth, and when is it smarter to hold back?
What is the game about?
Medici is a competitive auction board game for 2–6 players. A full game lasts three days, or three rounds, and each round brings new goods to auction. As seafaring traders, players bid on wares such as cloth, spices, grain, dyes, furs and, on rarer occasions, gold. The goal is not simply to buy more than everyone else, but to manage your resources wisely and commit at the right moment when the best offers appear.
How does a session play out?
During the game, goods are presented for auction and players compete to claim them so their ships carry the most rewarding cargo possible. At the end of each day, your wares earn money, but this is where Medici reveals its strongest twist: the same money you use for bidding also counts as your end-game score. That means every aggressive bid has a price, while every cautious decision can turn into a long-term advantage. This tension creates the game's distinctive rhythm, constantly balancing immediate gain against final results.
Why does Medici stand out?
- Competitive auction board game for 2–6 players.
- Set in the merchant world of 16th-century Florence, with a strong market atmosphere.
- Builds tension across three rounds of trading.
- Focused on bidding, loading cargo and balancing money against final scoring.
- Creates interactive, meaningful decisions from a clean and easy-to-grasp core idea.
- The English-language edition is a helpful choice for players looking for an English ruleset.
Medici is a great fit for groups that enjoy clean rules, constant tension and tactical bidding, where reading your opponents matters almost as much as planning your own next move.
The beautiful streets of 16th century Florence are alive with opportunity! Step into the shoes of a merchant buyer in the profitable age of the infamous Medici family. Each day, you’ll go to the wholesale market, where the highest quality wares await a keen eye and a competitive bid — the finest cloth, exotic spices, grain from fields abroad, colourful dyes, lush furs and, rarely, gold from mines far across the waters…
An auction board game for 2-6 players, Medici takes place over three days (rounds). Taking on the role of seafaring traders, you’ll present goods to be auctioned and bid to fill your ships with cargo. When the day ends, you’ll receive coin for your wares. But be careful — the money you’ll use to bid is also your end-game points!