Papal States 1689 testone

Goldberg sale 109, lot 2708

Heritage sale 3082, lot 34352

photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries

The first specimen was lot 2708 in Goldberg sale 109 (Los Angeles, January 2019), where it did not sell. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Italian States: Papal/Roman States. Testone, 1689. Anno XIII. Innocent XI. Attractively toned mint state example. NGC graded MS-62." The second specimen was lot 34352 in Heritage sale 3082 (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $576. The catalog description^[2] noted, "Italy: Papal States. Innocent XI Testone Anno XIII (1689) MS64 NGC, Rome mint. A bright specimen with a light apricot tone under fully lustrous surfaces." Berman lists seven different testone for this pope, varying in the design of the cartouche on the reverse. Ber-2102 has a cartouche on the reverse (struck 1684-89); -2103 adds a seraph (1684); -2104 has a laurel wreath (1684-85); -2105 has a rectangular plaque (1685); -2106 has the motto within an ornamental wreath (1686); -2107 within double hexagon (1686); -2108 within palm wreath (1689, shown here). Many varieties also come without date; none are rare. The testone was thirty baiocchi, while the piastra, the Italian equivalent of the German thaler, was 105 baiocchi (3½ testone). The reverse motto, "MELIVS EST DARE QVAM ACCIPERE," is the well known, "It is better to give than to receive."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 9.59 g, silver, 0.917 fine.

Catalog reference: Ber-2108, KM-unlisted.

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.
^[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.
^[2]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Online Auction 3082, featuring the Caranett Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
Francesco Muntoni, Le Monete del Papi e Degli Stati Pontifici, 4 vols. Rome: P & P Santamaria, 1973.

Link to:

Papal States 1689 testone

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