Naples (1442-58) 1-1/2 ducat Fr-815
The first specimen was lot 41138 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2019), where it sold for $6,000. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Naples. Ducato e Mezzo (1-1/2 Ducat), ND (1442-58). Alfonso I (1442-58). NGC MS-63. Fr-816. Obverse: Armored knight on horseback with sword; Reverse: Quartered arms of Hungary, Aragon, and Naples. Entirely radiant with a full, bold strike on a round flan that holds complete detail in the peripheral legends. Close inspection further confirms elite quality, with very limited handling appearing even under magnification. While examples in this certified quality appear rather infrequently at auction, we do note a similar example, also graded MS-63 by NGC, that realized $7,860 in a January 2018 Heritage auction." The second specimen was lot 255 in Áureo y Calicó sale 345 (Barcelona, March 2020), where it sold for €2,400 (about US$3,167 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"Alfons IV (1416-1458). Nàpols. Alfonsí d'or. Rara. MBC+. (kingdom of Naples, Alfonso IV, 1416-58, undated gold alphonse, Naples mint. Rare, choice very fine.)"
The third specimen was lot 1315 in Aureo y Calicó sale 423 (Barcelona, December 2023), where it sold for 1,700 € (about US$2,201 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[3] noted, "Alfons IV (1416-1458). Naples. Golden alfonsi or ducaton. Ex-jewelry. Ex Aureo 04/20/2005, no. 211. Rare. MBC+ [choice very fine]." Alfonso was king of Aragon, Valencia, Mallorca, Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily and count of Barcelona 1416-58. He was king of Naples 1442-58 after twenty years of warfare there. After his death, Naples was ruled 1458-94 by Ferrante, his illegitimate son while Sicily passed with Aragon to Alfonso's brother John II.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 5.25 g, 0.986 fine gold, the first specimen 5.29 grams, the second specimen 5,22 g; the third specimen 5,29 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-815; MIR-53; Cru.V.S. 883, Cru.C.G. 2928, Biaggi-1662.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio, Matt Orsini and Cris Chatigny, The January 2019 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
- [2]Sisó, Teresa, Eduard Domingo and Lluís Lalana, Subasta Publica 345: Colección Manuela Etcheverría, Barcelona: Áureo y Calicó, 2020.
- [3]Sisó, Teresa, Eduard Domingo and Lluís Lalana, Subasta 423: Subasta Numismatica, Barcelona: Aureo y Calicó, 2023.
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