Malta 1798 15 tari
This specimen was lot 1367 in Sincona sale 63 (Zürich, June 2020), where it sold for 350 CHF (about US$439 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"MALTA, Ferdinand von Hompesch, 1797-1798. 15 Tari 1798, Valletta. Sehr schön. (Order of Malta, Ferdinand von Hompesch, 1797-1798, 15 tari of 1798, Valetta mint. Very fine.)"
Malta, an island between Italy and Tunisia, was ruled by the Knights of St. John from the 1500's to their ouster by Napoleon in 1798. After Napoleon's fall, the British occupied the island as a base until 1964, when Malta became an independent republic. The Knights of St. John, now the Order of Malta, still exist but are based in Rome where they run a hospital. The Maltese used currency derived from their neighbors the Sicilians; 20 grani = one tari, 12 tari = one scudo. This type was probably struck during the French occupation.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 14.69 g.
Catalog reference: KM 344, Gatt 28-15T-10R05. Restelli 14.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 63: Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, SINCONA Bullion Auction, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2020.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
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