Genoa 1794 2 lire
The first specimen was lot 1445 in Sincona sale 6 (Zürich, May 2012), where it sold for 1200 CHF (about US$1,477 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALIEN Genova Doge Biennali, 1528-1797. 2 Lire 1794. Gekröntes Wappen zwischen zwei Greifen. Rv. Johannes der Täufer steht von vorn mit Kreuzfahne in der Linken, Kopf nach links gewandt. Fast FDC. (Italy, republic of Genoa, biennial doges, two lire of 1794. Obverse: crowned arms supported by two griffins; reverse: St. John the Baptist stands with banner in hand, facing left. Choice uncirculated.)"
The second specimen was lot 3076 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2017), where it did not sell. The catalog description[2] noted, "ITALY. Genoa. 2 Lire, 1794. NGC MS-64. A laudable example with nearly prooflike fields and exquisitely rendered devices. The obverse effigy has a lifelike quality to it, with no detail left to the imagination. The reverse shares the same high quality traits, with the entire coin remaining essentially free of tone. A piece that has clearly spent the last two centuries being meticulously preserved, and one that is sure to significantly add to the prestige of the collection it joins." The republic of Genoa issued silver one, two, four and eight lire 1793-97 in its final years before occupation and annexation by the French.
Recorded mintage: unknown but seldom seen.
Specification: 8.32 g, .889 fine silver, 29 mm diameter; the first specimen is 8.23 g.
Catalog reference: Lunardi 365, KM-244; MIR-317.2; CNI-7, Mont-49.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- [1]Numismatic Coins, Medals, Banknotes & Books: Auction 6, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2012.
- [2]Ponterio, Richard, The January 2017 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Richard Stuart Collection, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2016.
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