Sicily (1266-82) tari d'oro Fr-142
This specimen was lot 1572 in Jean Elsen sale 162 (Brussels, June 2025), where it sold for €1,100 (about US$1,525 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALIE, SICILE, Charles Ier d'Anjou (1266-1282), AV tari, Brindisi, Messine ou Barletta. D/ +·KAROL'·REX· Grande lettre K entre deux globules. R/ ·+·-SIC-IL Écu d'Anjou (trois lis sous un lambel). Très rare. Légère faiblesse de frappe. (Italy, kingdom of Sicily, Charles of Anjou, 1266-82, gold tari, Brindisi, Messina or Barletta mints. Obverse: large letter "K" between two pellets; reverse: arms of Anjou. Very rare, slightly weakly struck, very Fine.)"
Charles, younger brother of the king of France, seized the throne of Sicily from the Hohenstaufens in 1266 at the urging of the pope. He lost the island to the Aragonese in the Sicilian Vespers of 1282 but maintained control of Naples until his death in 1285. One of his monetary reforms was the introduction of a new silver coin, the carlino.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, this specimen 0,89 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-647, Spahr 5; M.E.C. XIV, 625.
- 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.
- Grierson, Philip, Coins of Medieval Europe, London: B. A. Seaby Ltd., 1991.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 162: Collection Jacques Druart, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2025.
Link to:
- Sicily (1266-82) reale d'oro Fr-653 Charles of Anjou
- Sicily (1266-82) 5 tari d'oro Fr-653a Charles of Anjou
- Naples (1277-85) saluto d'argento, Charles d'Anjou
- Naples (1277-85) salut d'or Fr-808
- Sicily (1282-85) pierreale d'argento, Constance and Peter
- Coins and currency dated 1266