Italy 1931-R 50 lire

Ponterio sale 168, lot 50216

photo courtesy Stack's-Bowers LLC

This specimen was lot 50216 in Ponterio sale 168 (Philadelphia, August 2012), where it sold for $476. The catalog description^[1] noted, "ITALY. 50 Lira, Year 9 (1931)-R. NGC MS-64. Lustrous." This type was struck for the kingdom of Italy 1931-33. The SCWC mentions circulated examples but it is hard to believe anyone would have been so foolish as to spend these. Vittorio Emanuele III succeeded his father Umberto upon the latter's assassination in 1900, but by 1931 he was the helpless tool of the Fascists. The year IX refers not to his regnal year but to the year of Mussolini's dictatorship.

Recorded mintage: 32,000 (including year X).

Specification: 4.40 g, 0.900 fine gold, designed by Giuseppe Romagnoli.

Catalog reference: Fr-34; KM-71.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• 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.
• Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
• Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014
• ^[1]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 168: The Official ANA Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2012.

Link to:

• 1926 gold 50 lire
• 1931 lira
• 1931 10 lire
• 1931 20 lire
• Italy 1931-R 100 lire
• 1932 50 lire
• Coins and currency dated 1931
• return to coins of Italy