Lombardy-Venetia 1831-M sovrano Fr-741c
The first specimen was lot 3555 in Goldberg sale 75 (Los Angeles, September 2013), where it sold for $690. The catalog description[1] noted, "Italian States - Lombardy-Venetia. Sovrano, 1831-M. Francis I. Older laureate head right. NGC graded EF-45." The second specimen was lot 3495 in Künker sale 264 (Osnabrück, June 2015), where it sold for €600 (about US$775 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"Franz I. 1804-1835. Sovrano 1831 (Jahreszahl im Stempel aus 1821 geändert), M, Mailand. 10,20 g Feingold. GOLD. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. (kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, Francis I, sovrano of 1831/21, Milan mint. Very fine to extremely fine.)"
The third specimen was lot 1491 in Sincona sale 76 (Zürich, May 2022), where it sold for 1,400 CHF (about US$1,699 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE - AUSTRIA. Franz II. (I.), 1792-1835. Sovrano 1831 M, Mailand. Vorzüglich-FDC. NGC MS62. (empire of Austria, Francis I, 1792-1835, souverain d'or of 1831, Milan mint. Extremely fine-uncirculated.)"
This denomination was originally introduced for circulation in the Austrian Netherlands, where it was called the souverain d'or. It was struck in Milan 1820-31, Vienna 1822-3 and 1831 and in Venice in 1822. The kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia was assembled by the Austrians to provide a unified administration for the Italian territories under their rule. This comprised the former duchies of Milan and Mantua and the republic of Venice. Milan, under Spanish rule from the 1500's, fell to the Austrians in 1714 and held by them until 1797 when Napoleon seized it. Napoleon gave Venice (until then independent) to Austria as compensation for her loss of Milan and Belgium. The area passed back and forth between the French and Austrians until the Congress of Vienna in 1814-15, when Metternich awarded it to Austria. Austria ruled Venetia until 1866, when it passed to the new kingdom of Italy.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 11.33 g, 0.900 fine gold, .327 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-741c; J. 230; Schl. 233.1; KM C11.1, Mont. 332. Herinek 243.
- 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.
- Herinek, Gerhard, Austria Münzkatalog: Munzen ab 1745 und Banknoten ab 1759, 49. Auflage, Vienna: Christine Steyrer Verlag, 2022.
- Veselý, Roman, Mince a medaile, 19. století, František II ab Karel I, Prague: Aurea Numismatika, 2020.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Jason Villareal and Steven Harvey, Goldberg Sale 75: the pre-Long Beach Sale, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, 2013.
- [2]Künker Münzauktionen und Goldhandel, Catalog 264, Gold coins | Russian Coins and Medals | German Coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2015.
- [3]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 76, The Annemarie and Gerd Köhlmoos Collection, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
Link to: