Italy 1866-M BN 50 centesimi
This specimen was lot 75224 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, September 2024), where it sold for $145. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. 50 Centesimi, 1866-M BN. Milan Mint. Vittorio Emanuele II. PCGS MS-62. Seldom encountered in Mint State, this near-Choice example has soft satin like surfaces and some iridescence toning when cradled." This type was struck in Milan 1863, 1866 and 1867. Despite the large mintage, this is the scarcest of the three dates. More were issued from Turin and Naples but this is the most common mint. This denomination was not issued again until 1889, during the reign of Umberto I, suggesting a surplus in bank vaults.
Recorded mintage: 19,199,000.
Specification: 2.5 g, 0.835 fine silver, 18 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-14.1.
- 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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