Sardinia 1817(t) L 5 lire
This specimen was lot 3408 in Goldberg sale 78 (Los Angeles, January 2014), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted, "Italian States - Sardinia. 5 Lire, 1817-L. Mint mark, eagle head. Victor Ammanuel I. NGC graded About Uncirculated, Details (Obverse Repaired)." The Duchy of Savoy was an Italian state wedged between France and Milan and was often the victim of invasions from both directions. In 1720, the duke acquired the island of Sardinia and promoted himself to king of Sardinia. In 1799, king Carlo Emanuele IV was evicted by Napoleon and the region converted to the Ligurian Republic then annexed to France. Sardinia did not recover her independence until 1815. The king was rewarded by Metternich with the republic of Genoa, which he added to his territory and opened a branch mint there in addition to his existing mint at Turin. The Turin mint used an eagle's head as a mintmark (shown here) while coins struck at Genoa sported an anchor. This issue was struck 1816-20 only in Turin.
Recorded mintage: 44,067.
Specification: 25 grams, 0.900 fine silver, .723 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: Dav-133; KM-113; Pagani-11.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Yifu Che and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg sale 78: the pre-Long Beach Auction, Ancient and World Coins, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, 2014.
Link to:
- 1816(t) 5 lire
- 1817(t) 20 lire
- 1818(t) 5 lire
- Coins and currency dated 1817
- return to coins of Italy, Sardinia