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News Archive
The "Agape" Collection of Coins of Genoa and her Colonies - Part I
One of the largest and most valuable collections of coins of
Genoa and her colonies in private hands was included in the auction of
coins and medals, held in conjunction with Christie's in Milan in June.
The collection was formed with great care during the second half of the
last century by a scholar who, during his long lifetime, devoted himself
to a study of the economic history, the culture, and of course the coinage
of his native city. Spink was honoured to have the opportunity of presenting
such a collection at auction, an opportunity that comes perhaps only once
in a lifetime.
The collection covered the entire period during which Genoa struck her
own coins, starting with the establishment of the mint in 1138 until the
time when the city state was absorbed into the Kingdom of Sardinia in
1814.
Conrad of Swabia, King of the Romans, first granted Genoa the privilege
of a mint in 1138, and the next year small coins of base silver were produced.
A regular coinage in gold, silver and base metal soon became established,
and during the later Middle Ages the Genoese gold coin, the Genovino,
rivalled the Fiorino of Florence and the Zecchino of Venice. Sometimes
under the rule of the Visconti and the Sforza dukes of Milan or at times
under the Kings of France, but more usually under the rule of her own
Doges, Genoa continued to produce superb quality coins, evidence of her
strong position as a maritime power. The rule of the Doges came to an
end in 1797 when, unable to maintain her neutrality any longer, the proud
Republic succumbed to the irresistible forces unleashed by the French
Revolution. Absorbed first into the Ligurian Republic, then into the Napoleonic
Empire, Genoa was for a few months in 1814 an independent Republic once
more before being assigned to the Kingdom of Sardinia under the terms
of the Treaty of Vienna.
The "Agape" collection illustrates every stage of this
fascinating and often turbulent history.
(Click any picture for an enlarged image)
Lot 19. Early coinage of the Republic
in the period before the Doges (before 1339), a very rare Grosso
Multiplo, weighing 5.583g., the equivalent to four Grossi and considered
to be either a very rare multiple of the denomination or a piefort.
€7,192
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Lot 89. A rare gold Ducat of Filippo
Maria Visconti Duke of Milan, Signore of Genoa (1421-1435), showing
the ‘biscione’, the heraldic snake of Milan above the
castle gateway of Genoa.
€1,054 |
Lot 115. A superb gold Ducat of
Galeazzo Maria Sforza Duke of Milan, Signore of Genoa (1466-1476).
€2,232 |
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Lot 121. An extremely rare gold
Ducato of Prospero Adorno and the ‘Twelve Captains of Liberty’
who governed Genoa for four months in 1478.
€11,160 |
Lot 129. A silver Testone of 15-Soldi
struck under Gian Galeazzo Maria Sforza Duke of Milan, Signore of
Genoa (1488-1494).
€1,736 |
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Lot 242. A silver Testone, called
Testone della benedizione (of ‘Benediction’ type), dated
1565. In the second half of the 16th century gold and silver coins
imitating the coins of Venice were struck for trade.
€1,178 |
Lot 228. A scarce silver Ducatone
of ‘Benediction’ type, a denomination struck between
1592-1612. This example is dated 1598, a date not listed in the
Corpus Nummorum Italicorum.
€3,720 |
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Lot 305. A scarce silver Scudo
Stretto of 1638. This is the first type, with the Madonna facing
the front. The design was introduced in 1637 and altered in 1638
making this a two year type.
€4,340 |
Lot 425. An exceptional coin, the
very rare silver Lira of 1641, the first year of issue of this denomination
and the only year when coins of this design were struck. The coin
is so rare that it is depicted only in a line drawing in the reference
books.
€21,080 - a record price |
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Lot 268. The largest coin in use
for ordinary commercial transactions, weighing a fraction over 33g.,
the gold 5-Doppia was struck in 24 years between 1639 and 1697.
This example, dated 1643, is of the first type with stars in the
angles of the cross on the reverse.
€14,880 |
Lot 272. A Half-Doppia dated 1656.
The most ‘useful’ of the gold coins, the small Half-Doppia
was issued in 33 years between 1639-1749.
€1,612 |
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Lot 431. In 1666 a remarkable series
of silver coins depicting Saint George and the dragon was issued
by the Banco di San Giorgio di Genova. The 8-Reali, pictured here,
corresponded to the Spanish 8-Reales and was be used in trade. In
the regular Genoese coinage it was equal to a Scudo of 4-Lire.
€21,080 - A record price |
Lot 433. A superb example of the
2-Reali of 1666. The ‘Agape’ collection contains examples
of all four denominations, the 8-, 4-, 2-, and 1-Reale.
€44,640 - A record price |
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Lot 270. The exceptional gold Quadrupla
or 2-Doppia of 1668, made ‘al torchio’ on the new experimental
coin press. These machine made coins are very rare.
€9,920 |
Lot 409. An attractive example of
the Quatro di Scudo Largo, a silver coin struck on a broad thinner
flan. This example, dated 1673, weighs 9.38g.
€1,612 |
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Lot 393. Another rare example of
a silver coin from the new minting press, this Half-Scudo Stretto
is dated 1679. Only two dates, 1676 and 1679, are known.
€1,488 |
Lot 513. The Ligurian Republic established
by Napoleon in 1798 lasted only seven years before it was absorbed
into the French Empire in 1805. This exceptional Scudo of 8-Lire,
minted in the Republic’s first year, is almost as fresh as
on the day it was made.
€930 |
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Lot 522. Francs 1813. Napoleon struck
silver 5-Francs in Italy as well as in France. The three Italian
mints were at Turin (mint mark a heart), at Rome (mint mark a wolf)
and in Genoa where the mint mark was a ship’s prow. The Genoa
mint was the last to issue these coins, minting in two years, 1813
and 1814.
€1,178 |
The "Agape"
Collection of Coins of Genoa Part II
The "Agape"
Collection of Coins of Genoa Part III
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