By Greg Cohen, Numismatist and Consignment Director
Our official auction of the World’s Fair of Money has a lovely selection of silver crowns of the Papal States. The artistry, religious imagery, and detail are amazing. I had the pleasure of cataloguing a good number of these coins for the auction, and the half piastra of 1693 (lot 40640) stood out to me for the graphic nature of the motif and its rich visual quality.
Struck in the second year of Innocent XII’s reign, this piece vividly depicts a pelican goring itself and feeding three chicks. The Latin motto “NON SIBI SED ALIIS” translates to “not for ourselves but for others.” This example is a rare variety, which depicts the pelican standing, facing left (type of Berman 2240) but the obverse legend legend is the one found on Berman 2239 (AN II) where Berman 2240 is for AN III. This example is awash in deep orange-crimson with rich gray-blue accents. Lustrous and well struck, this quality example will be a great addition to any collection of Papal or Italian silver coins. Graded MS-63 by PCGS and housed in a Secure Holder, this is among the finest examples of the type.
There are other Papal crowns being offered, and these lots are represented in both the live auction sale being held Friday August 10 and also during our online only session. The lots are currently on view in our New York office, with viewing scheduled daily from Friday July 27 to Tuesday July 31, before the lots are sent to Philadelphia. Please contact us to make your appointment for viewing in our New York office prior to the official start of viewing in Philly.
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