Sicily 1753-PN 2 oncie Fr-886
This specimen was lot 75469 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2024), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted, "ITALY. Naples & Sicily (Sicily). 2 Once, 1753-PN. Charles V. NGC AU-53. An appealing and limitedly circulated specimen, offering bright luster and strong eye appeal throughout." Sicily, having been Spanish for several centuries, fell to Sardinian rule in 1714 as part of the partition which ended the War of the Spanish Succession. King Philip V's second wife was Italian and was anxious to carve out territories for her son Carlos, who was not expected to inherit the throne of Spain. Accordingly, a Spanish army was sent to Italy and after various adventures, managed to conquer Sicily in 1720 and Naples in 1734. Carlos ruled the area as "Carlo di Borbone" until he inherited the throne of Spain on the death of his half brother Fernando in 1759. This coin type was struck 1752-54 and is the first of the denomination.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 8.81 g, 0.906 fine gold, 27 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-886; KM-176 (formerly KM C15).
- 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.
- Fabrizi, Davide, Monete Italiane Regionale: Napoli, Pavia: Edizioni Numismatica Varesi, 2010.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, October 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the S.P. Rutherford Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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