Naples and Sicily 1825 120 grana Dav-171
The first specimen was lot 466 in Aureo y Calicó sale 242 (Barcelona, March 2012), where it sold for 950 € (about US$1,475 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"Italia. 1825. Nápoles y Sicília. Francisco I. 120 grana. Levísimos golpecitos. Muy bella. Brillo original. Rara así. EBC+. (Kingdom of Naples and Sicily, Francis I, 120 grana (piastra) of 1825. A few small nicks, very handsome, original luster, rare thus, choice extremely fine)."
This type, struck 1825-28, is the only piastra of this ruler, described in Davenport[2] as "An unbridled libertine, he instituted a reign distinguished as one of the most corrupt in modern times. He died, ungrieved, in 1830." The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was annexed to Italy in 1860 but remains poor, backward and corrupt.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.53 g, 0.833 fine silver, 37 mm diameter, .737 troy oz ASW, this specimen 27,53 g.
Catalog reference: Dav-171, KM C137.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- [2]Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- [1]Sisó, Teresa, Eduardo Domingo and Lluís Lalana, Selección de 500 Monedas, Medallas y Billetes, Barcelona: Aureo y Calicó Subastas, 2012.
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