Naples and Sicily 1859 10 tornesi

Ponterio sale 169, lot 10812

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The first specimen was part of lot 10812 in Ponterio sale 169 (Baltimore, November 2012), where it sold for $734. The catalog description^[1] noted, "MIXED LOTS. Lot of (4) Minors, 1859-65. 4 pieces in lot, all NGC graded. Includes: Azores 10 and 20 Reis, 1865; Italy Emilia 5 Centesimi, 1826 (1860); and Italy Naples & Sicily 10 Tornesi, 1859. High grades are the rule here, with the first two coins grading MS-64 RD. The remaining coins grade MS-64 RB and MS-63 RB respectively. From the Demarete Collection." This specimen is one of a type struck for the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies 1859 only. The SCWC notes that 240 tornesi = 6 tari = 1 piastra, where a piastra is roughly equal to a peso. This coin was worth 1/24 of a piastra; the denomination was struck 1819-59. The Bourbon dynasty, rulers of Naples since 1735, were evicted by Napoleon to make room for his brother Joseph in 1806 but returned in 1815. This type is very scarce in nice condition.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 31.18 g, copper, 37.5 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM C159.

Source:

• Fabrizi, Davide, Monete Italiane Regionale: Napoli, Pavia: Edizioni Numismatica Varesi, 2010.
• Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
• ^[1]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 169: The November 2012 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers, LLC, 2012.

Link to:

• 1857 10 tornesi
• 1859 2 tornesi
• 1859 20 grana, Francis II
• 1859 piastra
• Coins and currency dated 1859
• return to coins of Italy, Naples & Sicily