Sardinia 1821(t) L 5 lire Dav-134
This specimen was lot 10524 in Ponterio sale 169 (Baltimore, November 2012), where it sold for $10,575. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Sardinia. 5 Lire, 1821-L. One year type. Toned. NGC AU Details--Surface Hairlines." 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 while coins struck at Genoa sported an anchor. This rare one-year issue was struck only in Turin. This date is also known with the bust of Charles Felix (Dav-135).
Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 115 or C-93; Gig-22; Mont-29, Dav-134.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns and Talers, Since 1800, 2nd Ed., London: Spink & Son, 1964.
- Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 169: The November 2012 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers, LLC, 2012.
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