Italy 1812-V lira
This specimen was lot 75190 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2024), where it sold for $360. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Kingdom of Napoleon. Lira, 1812-V. Venice Mint. PCGS AU-58. Puntali Aguzzi. Lustrous satiny surfaces offer a pleasing champagne tone with deeper splashes of gold, and hints of lilac and cobalt on the reverse. The merest hints of wear are seen in Napoleon's h[ai]r and the eagle's head on the reverse. Attractive." This coin was struck in Milan for Napoleon's kingdom of Italy which lasted 1804-1814. The lira, which matched the French franc, was struck in some numbers 1808-14 at Milan, Venice and Bologna. "Puntali Aguzzi" means "sharp tips", referring to the points of the halberds below the bottom of the shield.
Recorded mintage: 89,208, a better date.
Specification: 5 g, 0.900 fine silver, 23 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-C8.3; Gig-160; Mont-33.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, September 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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