Papal States (1484-92) fiorino di camera Fr-26
This type was struck at Rome for pope Innocent VIII. A very similar but much rarer type exists from the Macerata mint (Fr-402). The fiorino (florin) was about 3% lighter than the ducat or zecchino. Friedberg records the first fiorino from 1475 and the last from the reign of Paul III (1534-49). The third specimen was lot 2818 in Sincona sale 80 (Zürich, October 2022), where it sold for 4,750 CHF (about US$5,693 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALY | Vatican - Church State, Innozenz VIII. 1484-1492. Ducato o. J. Roma. Berman 446. Selten. NGC MS65. (Papal States, Innocent VIII, 1484-92, undated ducat, Rome mint. Rare. Incorrectly catalogued as Ber-446.)"
The fourth specimen was lot 515 in Künker sale 400 (Berlin, February 2024), where it sold for €5,000 (about US$6,487 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"ITALIEN, KIRCHENSTAAT/VATIKAN, Innocenz VIII. 1484-1492. Fiorino di camera o. J. Rom. GOLD. Selten in dieser Erhaltung. Sehr attraktives Exemplar, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. Erworben 1967 von der Münzhandlung Mario Ratto, Mailand. (Italy, Papal States, Innocent VIII, 1484-92, undated fiorino di camera, Rome mint. Scarce in this quality, very attractive example, extremely fine to uncirculated. Purchased in Milan in 1967.)"
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.39 g, 0.986 fine gold. The third specimen is 3.39 g, the fourth specimen 3.40 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-26, Ber-497.
- Berman, Allen G., Papal Coins, South Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1991.
- Francesco Muntoni, Le Monete del Papi e Degli Stati Pontifici, 4 vols. Rome: P & P Santamaria, 1973.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 80, World Coins and Medals, SINCONA Bullion Auction, World Banknotes, Coins and Medals from Switzerland, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
- [2]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 400: Selected löser of the Dukes of Guelph from the Friedrich Popken Collection | Numismatic treasures from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. "multiple portraits" from a Westphalian private collection, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
Link to: