Italy 1814-M 15 soldi
The first specimen was lot 40657 in Ponterio sale 168 (Philadelphia, August 2012), where it sold for $1,469. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Kingdom of Napoleon. 15 Soldi, 1814-M. NGC MS-65. RARE. From a mintage of only 371 pieces. Sharply struck, toned and very attractive. Demarete Collection."
The second specimen was lot 444 in CGB sale 54 (Paris, August 2012), where it did not sell. The catalog description noted,
"1814 Milan, Rarity: R3, Condition: VF 45, Usure régulière de circulation sur les reliefs. Des rayures dans les champs. Très jolie patine de collection. Obverse: NAPOLEONE IMPERATORE E RE // 1814. Tête nue de Napoléon Ier à droite. Reverse: REGNO D'ITALIA / 15 SOLDI / M. La Couronne de Fer. Les 15 soldi de 1810 et de 1814 M sont parmi les plus rares de cette série."
The issues of the Napoleonic kingdom of Italy were meant to match the French franc Germinal. Thus, the silver lira was 5 g, 0.900 fine silver, just like the French one franc. The lira was divided into twenty soldi, so the ten soldi matched the French half franc. We don't know why a fifteen soldi was considered necessary. Nevertheless, it was issued 1808-10 and 1814 in small numbers, with this date being the rarest.
Recorded mintage: 370.
Specification: 3.75 grams, 0.900 fine silver, .108 troy oz ASW, the second specimen is 3.73 g, 21.18 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM C-7; Gig-174; Mont-268.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 168: The Official ANA Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2012.
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