Parma 1821 40 lire
The Duchy of Parma was a small state bordering on the Duchy of Milan. It fell to the Spanish Hapsburgs in the 1500's and to the Austrian Hapsburgs in 1714 and was occupied by Napoleon in 1796. After his fall, it was granted to his wife, Maria Louisa of Austria, and was held by her until her death in 1847. It then passed to the Bourbons who ruled in Naples and then to the king of Italy in 1860. It has been part of Italy since.
The Duchess issued a series of coins from a copper centesimo to a gold forty lire, of which this specimen, a gold forty lire, was a part. All were struck to French standards. This type was struck in 1815 and 1821 but the 1815 is the most available. This specimen was lot 2778 in Sincona sale 18 (Zürich, May 2014), where it sold for CHF 800 (about US$1,054 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"40 Lire 1821. Mailand. Gutes sehr schön. (duchy of Parma, forty lire of 1821, good very fine.)"
Recorded mintage: 37,000.
Specification: 12.90 g, 0.900 fine gold, .373 troy oz ASW, this specimen 12.85 g.
Catalog reference: Pag. 2. Schl. 432. Fr-933, KM C32.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Numismatic Coins, Medals, & Banknotes: Auction 18, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2014.
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