Italy 1937-R lira
This specimen was lot 41096 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $1,440. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Kingdom. Lira, 1937-R Year XV. Rome Mint. PCGS MS-64 Gold Shield. Emanating from a collectors' only emission--and accounting for its very small issue--this VERY RARE, vibrant minor undoubtedly stands as one of the finest extant, with having seen just one other." This type was struck 1936-43. Only the first year was made in nickel; the later dates are stainless steel, either conventional 18-8 (nonmagnetic) or without the nickel alloy ("Acmonital", magnetic). The years 1937 and 1938 were made only for collectors.
Recorded mintage: 50.
Specification: 8 g, nickel, 27 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-77.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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