Naples and Sicily 1768-BP CCR 6 ducati Fr-849
This specimen was lot 1408 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $7,800. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Naples & Sicily. 6 Ducati, 1768-R BP CC. Rome Mint. Ferdinand IV. NGC MS-64. This very alluring near-Gem example is the sole finest example ever certified by PCGS or NGC. A somewhat reflective nature exists to the fields and this example is unaffected by adjustment marks or any major nicks, with just a few scattered marks consistent with the grade. A coin that is sure to please the collector of European gold who seeks nothing short of the best representative example." Charles II, the last Hapsburg king of Spain, was also king of Naples and Sicily. After his death the area passed out of the hands of the Spanish crown, only to be reconquered by them in the 1730's. Ferdinand IV was the third son of Charles III, king of Spain 1759-88 and the younger brother of Charles IV. This type was struck 1768 only and is priced quite low in the SCWC. In 1769, the date was moved from below the shield to left of the crown. Despite the six ducati denomination, it is not a true six ducat coin, having only enough gold for about two and a half ducats.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 8.79 g, 0.906 fine gold, .256 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-849; KM-174.
- Fabrizi, Davide, Monete Italiane Regionale: Napoli, Pavia: Edizioni Numismatica Varesi, 2010.
- 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.
- Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
Link to: