Papal States (1523-34) doppia Fr-58
This specimen was lot 34031 in Heritage sale 3098 (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $2,160. The catalog description[1] noted, "Italy: Papal States. Clement VII gold Doppia Ducato Papale ND (1523-1534) AU Details (Scratches) NGC, Rome mint. • PONT • MAX • • | • • CLEMNE • VII, Papal arms surmounted by crossed keys and Papal tiara / ALM • A • ROMA • | • S • PETRVS •, St. Peter, nimbate, standing facing, keys in right hand, Gospels in left. An exceptionally rare type that seldom becomes available in any condition for this already incredibly challeng[ing] Pope in gold. Bellesia only recorded two sales records for the type--one sold by Finarte of Milan in December 1976, and the other sold by Kunst & Münzen in Lugano in October 1985. Despite the noted scratching in the fields, the strike appears quite nice, with an ample degree of detail preserved throughout. Notable as the plate coin in Monete Italiane Regionali, and one of only a few available to commerce. Ex. Nomisma Auction 56 (October 2017, Lot 1314)." The doppia of Clement VII include Ber-822 thru -826, all listed as RRR. Clement VII's inept foreign policy was responsible for the sack of Rome.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.58 g, .904 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-58, Bellesia-61 (R4; same dies), Ber-825 (RRR), Munt-8, MIR-784/2 (RRRR; this coin).
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, NYINC World Coins Signature Auction 3098, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
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