Lombardy 1848-M lira
This specimen was lot 1695 in Künker Auction 425 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €3,200 (about US$4,531 including buyers' fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"EUROPÄISCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · ITALIEN, LOMBARDEI Provisorische Regierung 1848. Lira 1848 M, Mailand, geprägt während des Aufstands in Mailand. Probe in versilberter Bronze; Pagani (Proben) 525 (R4). Von größter Seltenheit. Kl. Kratzer, vorzüglich +. (Italy, Lombardy, provisional government, lira of 1848, Milan mint, struck during the rebellion against Austria. Pattern struck in silver plated bronze. Extremely rare, hairlines, extremely fine or better.)"
This pattern was also struck in silver and tin. In March 1848, the Milanese rose up and threw out the Austrian administration with the support of Sardinian troops. The Sardinians were defeated in July 1848 and the Austrians recaptured Milan in August 1849, crushing the revolt. The provisional government had meanwhile issued five lire in silver and twenty and forty lire in gold, using the Sardinian standard. The one lira never got past the pattern stage.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 5.06 g, bronze, this specimen 5,13 g.
Catalog reference: KM Pn3, Divo/S. 200; Fr-2895; Schl. 837.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 425: Gold coins from the Medieval and Modern Times, from the Mohr family collection, e.g. | Silver coins, e.g. highlights of medallic art | German coins after 1871, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.
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