Roman Republic (1798) scudo Dav-1485
This specimen was lot 6044 in Künker sale 354 (Osnabrück, Germany, September 2021), where it sold for €1,800 (about US$2,505 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALIEN, KIRCHENSTAAT/VATIKAN, 1. Römische Republik, 1798-1799. Scudo o. J. Rom. RR Winz. Kratzer, vorzüglich-Stempelglanz. (Italy, Papal States, first Roman Republic, 1798-99, undated scudo. Very rare, minor scratches, extremely fine to uncirculated.)"
The Roman Republic was formed to welcome the advancing French armies in 1798 and the pope fled to Venice and Austrian protection. When Napoleon left Italy for Paris, the puppet republics all collapsed and the pope returned to Rome, to rule until 1808. This rare type is not listed in the regular SCWC but in Unusual World Coins, where bronze strikes are recorded. Several different reverses exist.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27 g, silver, this specimen 25.10 g.
Catalog reference: KM X3, Dav-1485; Muntoni -; Pagani 3 (R2).
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1700-1800, 2nd Ed. London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- [1]Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, Künker Auktion 354: Munzen und Medaillen aus Mittelalter und Neuzeit u. a. Braunschweig-Luneburg. Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2021.
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