Italy 1926-R 2 lire
This specimen was lot 34284 in Heritage sale 3076 (Long Beach, CA, September 2019), where it sold for $408. The catalog description[1] noted, "Italy: Vittorio Emanuele III 2 Lire 1926-R MS63 NGC, Rome mint. The single finest of this already conditionally rare type, presented here with an almost matte texture about the fields and ample mint luster." This type was struck for the kingdom of Italy 1923-35. Vittorio Emanuele III succeeded his father Umberto upon the latter's assassination in 1900, but by 1926 he was the helpless tool of the Fascists, whose symbol appears on the reverse. The issues of 1923-26 are readily available but those of 1927-35 are rare, being struck for presentation only.
Recorded mintage: 5,101,000.
Specification: 10.07 g, nickel, 29.1 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 63.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3076, featuring the Allen Moretti Swiss Collection and the James Mossman Collection of Canadian Coinage, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
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