Savoy 1556 tallero Dav-8370
This specimen was lot 1473 in Sincona sale 73 (Zürich, November 2021), where it sold for 12,000 CHF (about US$15,439 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALY | House of Savoy / Sardinia. Emanuele Filiberto, 1553-1580. Tallero 1556, Aosta oder Vercelli. I tipo. Geharnischtes Hüftbild nach links. Rv. Blumenkreuz mit fünf Wappen. Von grösster Seltenheit. Sehr schön. (Italy, duchy of Savoy, Emanuel Philibert, 1553-80, tallero of 1556, Aosta or Vercelli mints, first type. Armored half-length to left; reverse: floriate cross with five arms. Of the highest rarity, Very fine.)"
Wikipedia comments,
"Emmanuel Philibert (Italian: Emanuele Filiberto; Piedmontese: Emanuel Filibert; 8 July 1528 – 30 August 1580), known as Testa di ferro (Piedmontese: Testa 'd fer; "Ironhead", because of his military career), was Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580. He is remembered for the recovery of the Savoyard state (invaded and occupied by France when he was a child) following the Battle of St. Quentin (1557), and for moving its capital to Turin."
None of the silver or gold coins of Savoy of the sixteenth century can be called common. Savoy was not one of the prosperous regions of Italy like Milan or Tuscany. Davenport states that the 1556 issue was struck at Aosta and the 1558 issue was struck at Vercelli.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: silver, this specimen 40.26 mm diameter, 28.44 g.
Catalog reference: MIR 501 (dies Exemplar abgebildet). Simonetti 29/1, Dav-8370.
- Davenport, John S., European Crowns, 1484-1600, Frankfurt: Numismatischer Verlag, 1977.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 73: World Coins and Medals, Bullion Auction and World Banknotes, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2021.
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