Sicily 1543-MA scudo d'oro Fr-664
This specimen was lot 3333 in Sincona sale 26 (Zürich, October 2015), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALY, Naples-Sicily, Carlo V. 1519-1556 Scudo doro 1543. Messina Mit dem Münzmeisterzeichen M-A (Mariano Averna). Sehr selten. Gutes sehr schön. (Italy, kingdom of Sicily, Charles V of Spain, 1519-56, gold scudo of 1543, Messina mint. Very rare, good very fine.)"
The legend "K - V" refers to Charles V of Spain. The kingdom of Sicily had long been ruled together with the kingdom of Naples but was divided by the Sicilian Vespers of 1282, in which Charles of Anjou was ejected from Sicily by Peter of Aragon but retained Naples. Aragonese rule passed into Spanish rule under the Catholic kings and thence to Charles V, king of Spain and Holy Roman emperor. Charles spent much time in Italy, where his soldiers sacked Rome in 1527, but we don't think he ever visited Sicily.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, this specimen 3.36 g.
Catalog reference: Spahr 122. MIR 282/3. Fr-664.
- 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.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, The January 2015 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Featuring the John W. Adams and Ray Czabor Collections, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2014.
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