Massa di Lunigiana (159)6 tallero
This specimen was lot 122 in Nomisma S.p.a. Auction 50 (Verona, Italy, October 2014) where it sold for 10,000 EUR (About US$15,000 including buyer's fees). The lot description noted,
"MASSA DI LUNIGIANA Alberico I (1553-1623) Tallero 1596 o 1606 – L. Bellesia, Un tallero del leone ed altre monete inedite di Massa di Lunigiana, in Panorama Numismatico, novembre 2009, pp. 44-48, RRRRR Moneta inedita fino alla sua apparizione nella vendita Lanz del 2 novembre 2009, da considerarsi di estremo interesse per la monetazione di Massa di Lunigiana. BB+. (Massa di Lunigiana, Alberico I Cybo Malaspina, 1559-1623, tallero of 1596 or 1606, an unpublished type. This excessively rare coin first appeared in a Lanz auction in 2009 and is considered extremely interesting. Very fine or better.)"
We don't see any imitation lion daalders in the listings for Alberico altho we note Dav-A3973, which was struck for his successor Carlo Cybo I. On this example, only the final digit of the date can be made out. Modena lies between Parma and Ferrara, and the town of Massa lies in the south of the duchy, near Carrara.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 27,11 g.
Catalog reference: KM unlisted, Dav-unlisted.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1484-1600, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1977.
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