Papal States (1683) 1/2 piastra KM-429

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Künker sale 403, lot 1418

This specimen was lot 1418 in Künker sale 403 (Osnabrück, March 2024), where it sold for €850 (about US$1,115 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,

"PAPST INNOCENZ XI., 1676-1689. Die Münzstätte Rom. ½ Piastra A VII (1682/1683), Rom. AVARVS / NON / IMPLEBITVR. Mit eckigem Wappenschild und Blattwerk auf der Vorderseite, die Rückseite mit geometrischen Rahmen und Blattwerk. Min. Stempelfehler, vorzüglich. (Papal States, Innocent XI, 1676-89, half piastra of the year 7, Rome mint. Obverse: angular coat of arms and foliage; reverse: geometric frames and foliage. Minor planchet defects, extremely fine.)"

The reverse motto, "Avarus non implebitur pecunia, et qui amat divitias fructum non capiet ex eis; et hoc ergo vanitas," comes from Ecclesiates 5:10: "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity." This is among the more common mezzi piastri; many varieties exist of this issue, including KM 431 with the motto in a palm wreath and KM 430 with the motto between lion's heads. Wikipedia comments,

"Immediately upon his accession, Innocent XI turned all his efforts towards reducing the expenses of the Curia. He passed strict ordinances against nepotism among the cardinals. He lived very parsimoniously and exhorted the cardinals to do the same. In this manner he not only squared the annual deficit which at his accession had reached the sum of 170,000 scudi, but within a few years the papal income was even in excess of the expenditures."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 16.03 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 15,93 g.

Catalog reference: Muntoni 44; Toffanin 2021/1, Ber-2094, KM 429.

Source:

  • Berman, Allen G., Papal Coins, South Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1991.
  • Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
  • Francesco Muntoni, Le Monete del Papi e Degli Stati Pontifici, 4 vols. Rome: P & P Santamaria, 1973.
  • [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Katalog 403: Coins and Medals of the Popes - The significant collection of a southwest German entrepreneur, Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.

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