Papal States (1710) testone

Goldberg sale 109, lot 2719

This specimen was lot 2719 in Goldberg sale 109 (Los Angeles, January 2019), where it sold for $1,200. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Italian States: Papal/Roman States. Testone (1710). Anno X. Clement XI. Well struck with olive-green toning and fully lustrous. Rare. NGC graded MS-65." Berman lists fifteen different testone for this pope; Berman-2402 has the reverse motto "NE/OBLIVISCARIS/PAVPERVM" ("Do not forget the poor"). It was struck during year X. The testone was thirty baiocchi, while the piastra, the Italian equivalent of the German thaler, was 105 baiocchi (3½ testone).

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 9.16 g, silver, 0.917 fine.

Catalog reference: Berman-2402, Munt-72, KM-737.

Source:

• 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.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• ^[1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, John Lavender, Yifu Che, Jason Villareal and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg Sale 109: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2019.

Link to:

• (1706) testone, DIGNIS VICTORIAM, Clement XI
• 1707 testone, "QVI/MISERETVR/PAVPERI/BEATVS ERIT"
• 1707 piastra
• 1708 testone, "QVI/MISERETVR/PAVPERI/BEATVS ERIT"
• (1711) testone, MVLTOS PERDIDIT ARGENTVM
• Coins and currency dated 1710
• return to coins of the Papal States