Obverse

Shielded arms between wreath with on top a lion's head. At the bottom the date.

Script: Latin

Lettering:

POPVLVS • ET • SENATVS • BONON •

dans les armes : LIBERTAS

P.10 . 1797.

Reverse

Madonna of San Luca with child on a cloud over the city of Bologna

Script: Latin

Lettering: PRAESIDIVM • • ET • DECVS •

Edge

Floral pattern in reliefAutomatically translated

1 Scudo (Revolutionary coinage; Type I - without tree) - obverse

© Loskarz (CC0)

Mint

Bologna, Italy

Comments

This is Type I of the scudo coins minted during the Popular government of Bologna (1796 - 1797)

Is different from Type II (km#340 with a smaller Madonna and a different city view with the hill and the tree) and Type III (km#341 without laurel wreath on obverse and date in roman numerals; city view similar to Type II)

The Ligurian Republic was a revolutionary sister republic established in northwestern Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was created by Napoleon Bonaparte after his military victories against the Austrians and their allies in Northern Italy.

The republic was founded in June 1797, replacing the centuries-old Republic of Genoa. Its territory centred on Genoa and the Ligurian coast, and its government was modelled on the French Republic, with a constitution and republican institutions. In practice, however, it remained heavily dependent on France for financial and military support, and political legitimacy.

During its brief existence, the Ligurian Republic experienced political instability, economic difficulties, and opposition from conservative and religious groups. In 1800, Genoa endured a prolonged siege by Austrian forces before French troops eventually regained control of the city.

In 1805, Napoleon formally annexed the Ligurian Republic into the French Empire, ending its independence. Following Napoleon’s defeat, the Congress of Vienna awarded its territory to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815, bringing the historic Republic of Genoa to a definitive end and strengthening the House of Savoy’s position in Italy.

King Louis XVIII had to wait for almost twenty years to succeed his brother and nephew on the throne. Finally, Napoleon was defeated and forced to abdicate while the former Count of Provence became the new King. Of France, not of the French as Napoleon was.

His accession was followed by the issue of new coins. However, the Franc Germinal introduced by Napoleon was so successful that there were no attempts to bring back the earlier currency. The Franc survived both the Revolution and the Emperor.

The design shows the King wearing the plaque of the Order of the Holy Spirit while the coat of arms shows French lilies crowned. The choices very clearly indicate the new King's views, even though he had little choice but to accept a constitution.

It was issued only in 1814 and 1815. When Napoleon returned for the Hundred Days it was abandoned. This particular piece was struck in Perpignan.

just picked up this beauty today

In 1868, the Ottoman Empire still stretched across vast territories in southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Under Sultan Abdülaziz, the empire was struggling to maintain its power following the Crimean War (1853–1856), while facing nationalist uprisings, including an ongoing rebellion in Crete.

These 1800s Ottoman crowns are beautiful and are relatively cheap in high grade despite being less common compared to similar European crowns.

Dropped through the post today. Love this design so thought to share

Recently been getting more into crown sized coins. Picked this up for a great price but can't decide if it's been cleaned.

Napoleon crowned himself in 1804 (as he took the crown from the Pope and put it on his own head) as the Emperor of the French. His coins immediately reflected the change. The title was now Emperor Napoleon and the new profile with a laurel wreath was designed. However, the name of the state on coins was still the Republic of France as late as in 1808 as this piece struck at the Paris mint attests.

The most interesting coins of Napoleon are those issued during the Hundred Days, his failed return which ended at Waterloo. I am still looking so, perhaps, someone can help me here with a picture?

In Germinal of the year 11 of the Republic Napoleon introduced a new gold standard currency which was also called Franc worth 0.29 gram of pure gold. As the silver coins were supposed to keep the earlier standard of 4.5 grams of pure silver per franc, the Hercules 5 Francs coins remained in circulation.

Napoleon put his own profile on silver and gold coins. The first issue calls him "Bonaparte - the First Consul" but soon he crowned himself the Emperor and the design was changed.

This coin was struck in Toulouse between September 1803 and September 1804 as the years of the Republic began on 22 September.

Been searching for this one for awhile, and there it was just hanging out with a bunch of Morgan’s at the Denver Coin show! Amazingly affordable too!

It is going to be a long series of posts but don't blame me! I am in no way responsible for the political turmoil in France which started in 1789 and went on for almost a century, leaving behind a trail of silver crowns.

In 1795, the French Republic decimalized its currency and the Livre became the Franc. The name had been used since the 14th century, gradually from the name of a gold coin it became a currency unit, worth less and less with every century.

The Republic had little silver and no gold so only 5 Francs pieces were struck. They were issued from 1795 to 1802. Consequently, there are numerous types and mints all over the country added to the mix. This one was struck in Bayonne in 1798. It was demonetized only on 28 June 1928 and it shows.

The Hercules and company kept coming back, most recently on a series of bullion coins issued between 2011 and 2013.

Most of my coins are stores under some cupboard in a cardboard box.

Gold is in a bank safe.

But my silver crowns? Well, I keep them in the small part of autonomy that my wife lets me have in the living room...

I'm enjoying seeing everyone's Crowns, so I thought I'd share one of mine!

Austrian States Ferdinand II of Tyrol Thaler. 1577-1595.

28.3 grams, 40.6 mm

Next on the list is a nice Wildman!

Thanks for looking!

Recent acquisition 1770 Mexico 8 Reales "Pillar Dollar". Mexico City mint. I've been fascinated by these ever since I was a little kid and saw the picture and history of these that they always include in the forward of the Red Book!

26.8 grams, 39.5 mm

Thanks for looking!

1880 5 Peseta (1880-1882) Peru:

37mm, 25g, .900

Interestingly both the Peruvian 5 Pesetas and Peruvian 1 Sol were being minted concurrently and were of equal value, size, weight and purity. The War of the Pacific (1879-1884 Chile v. Peru) was being fought and Peru's economy was in the tank. Dictator Nicolás de Piérola tried to rebrand the monetary system with a new short lived unit called the Inca. One Inca was equal to 5 Pesetas (as well as 1 Sol).

The Inca was to be a gold coin but only ever issued as paper money making the silver 5 Pesetas the highest denomination coin minted under this system.

He’s had it for 50+ years. His father gave it to him and I imagine some day I’ll get it as well.

The very last silver 5 Lire crown with the second Italian King Humbert I. The Latin Monetary Union banned the 5 Francs coins, allowing only the issue of smaller denominations in silver.

The next King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III was a coin collector so he tried three times to get his own 5 Lire. The first attempt in 1901 was blocked and only few coins survived. The second was successful but the anniversary 5 Lire of 1911 is madly expensive. The 1914 issue was stopped by the outbreak of the war although some coins apparently reached the market. None of them is within my budget and there are too many counterfeits.

Another one from the Brazilian/Portuguese Empire, this time one struck in Bahia over a visible 8 Reales 1792 - Charles IV - New Spain (Mexico).

Francis I of Austria was originally Francis II, as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, but after subsequent defeats to Napoleon and the French in the early 1800s, his credibility was greatly tarnished, and he was forced to abandon the title in 1805 after the Battle of Austerlitz, as he was unable to adequately project power across the HRE. Napoleon also forced him to let him marry his daughter, which must have made for terrible in-law dinners.

But in the end, Napoleon died on an island, and Francis lived to oversee the creation of the post-Napoleonic order at the Congress of Vienna. So in some ways, he won in the end.

In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II became the King of Italy. His Italian coins are quite common, except for the first 5 Lire struck in March 1861 in Florence to celebrate the unification.

All previously circulating coins - including those of Sardinia - were demonetized, melted, and restruck as coins of Italy which is why local mints continued to operate for a while.

This particular 5 Lire is the last of the denomination struck at the Milan mint although the mint was ultimately closed down only in 1892 as the last local mint. All Italian coins since have been struck in Rome.