Bibliographical Rarities

Gennaro Riccio, The coins attributed to the mint of the ancient city of Luceria, capital of Daunia, with a note on its remote origins and grandeur, from the Tipografia Virgilio, Naples 1846, pp. II, 28, 5 marvelous plates, 28 cm, contemporary blank booklet.

A work of extraordinary importance in the history of Italian numismatic literature, it is the first comprehensive treatise on the coinage of Luceria. Riccio proposes a coherent typological sequence, which he supports with historical and metrological arguments, thus creating a framework that was innovative for the time. The five plates, drawn and engraved by Andrea Russo, are of excellent quality, giving the whole volume a first-rate documentary value. The volume dates back to the crucial moment when Italian numismatics was abandoning its scholarly-municipal horizons to adopt an increasingly scientific and methodical approach. An essential source for understanding the numismatic and antiquarian debate of the mid-nineteenth century.

Ownership note dated 1939 on the contemporary silent book.

Foxing and ordinary traces of use, otherwise in overall good condition.

Extremely rare.

Gian Rinaldo Carli, On the works of the commander Don Gian Rinaldo conte Carli, volume IV, In the Imperial Monistery of S. Ambrogio Maggiore, Milan 1784, pp. 368, 2 splendid plates. folded intaglio depicting coins, 23 cm, coeval binding in cart. and.

Volume IV is complete and independent in itself and includes the following dissertation by Carli, numismatist, historian and Koper economist: Coins minted and used in many mints in Italy have reached their intrinsic value up to the seventeenth century.

Artwork in superb condition, with very fresh paper and beards.

Extremely rare.

Collection of laws and decrees concerning the guarantee service dependent on the General Administration of Coins with notes indicating the principal modifications made to certain articles, from the Royal Printing House, Naples 1858, pp. 46 with a valuable copper engraving depicting the Bourbon coat of arms on the frontispiece, ill., 28 cm, br. ed.

Official collection printed in the last years of the Bourbon government, intended for use by the competent offices, of the legislative provisions and decrees concerning the guarantee service dependent on the General Administration of the Coins of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which collects the provisions issued between 1808 and 1841.

Very slight abrasion to the lower margin without loss, minimal traces of use to the paperback, otherwise in excellent condition.

Of extraordinary rarity.

U. di S. [Umberto II of Savoy], The Medals of the House of Savoy. General Catalogue Essay, Vol. I, P. & P. Santamaria Editori in Roma, Rome 1980, pp. 228, 93 plates, 33 cm, full cloth binding.

Work conceived in five volumes, of which only the first was printed.

Edition of 500 copies.

This volume represents the most complete expression of a passion for medals, both dynastic and personal, cultivated by the last King of Italy, Umberto II of Savoy, during his years of exile. The comprehensive editorial project aimed to provide a comprehensive catalogue of Savoy medals, organizing and making systematically accessible a vast historical and artistic heritage linked to the representation of power and the memory of the House of Savoy. The core collection, consisting of thousands of pieces dating from the 15th century to the medals dedicated to Umberto II himself, was bequeathed to the Medal Cabinet of the National Roman Museum, alongside the renowned numismatic collection donated by Victor Emmanuel III. If his father, a numismatist of exceptional stature, had initiated the Corpus Nummorum Italicorum, his son ideally continued his scientific impulse in a related field, gathering and studying the family's medal collection and thus offering an ideal, worthy completion of that undertaking, as a conscious memory of a past of extraordinary historical depth.

In perfect condition. Very rare.

Ezzelino Magli, Out-of-Counter Paper Money in the Author's Collection, With an introduction to the catalogue by Carlo Zangarini, Libreria L. Cappelli, Bologna 1937, pp. XI, 290, richly illustrated, 23 cm, beautiful full cloth binding with gold titles and fillets on a leather insert on the spine, the editorial paperback has been preserved.

Among the first Italian contributions to comprehensively address paper money, this volume collects and describes Ezzelino Magli's collection, offering significant evidence of the growing interest this sector was arousing among Italians in the 1930s. The catalog's organized layout and rich descriptions make it a useful tool for study and consultation even today.

Dedication on the title page and small note on the front cover.

In excellent condition. Extremely rare on the market.

New rate for the reduction of the lily according to the old abusive rate, with the different prices it had from 1745 to 25 October of the current year 1778, at the present value in public edicts, from Giuseppe Galeazzi Regio Stampatore, Milan 1778, pp. 24, beautiful woodcut engraving on the frontispiece, 20 cm, br. ed.

Traces of use on the paperback and edges, otherwise in excellent condition.

Extremely rare.

Emergency, Substitute, and Occupational Money Circulation in Italy, from Unification to the Euro, edited by Renzo Bruni, Cooperativa Tipografica degli Operai, Vicenza 2011, pp. 94, richly illustrated, 21 cm, hardback ed.

Series of Numismatic Studies of the Academy, 19.

On the title page: Italian Academy of Numismatic Studies; Vicenza Numismatics, 20th Exhibition of Numismatics, Medals and Paper Money, 14-15 October 2011.

Contents: KINGDOM OF ITALY: Historical, economic, and monetary events of the first twenty years; Provisional coinage of the Government of the Provinces of Emilia 1859/1860; Small denomination notes of the issuing banks 1866/1874; Fiduciary notes 1866/1874; Temporary government measures: 5% Consolidated coupons and revenue stamps 1866/1867; Other initiatives 1866/1874; Historical, economic, and monetary events of the last twenty years of the 19th century; Official and private initiatives 1886/1893; Historical, economic, and monetary events of the first twenty years of the 20th century; Cash bonds 1914/1922; Emergency metal coinage 1918/1920; Paper bonds of the Municipalities of the Redeemed Lands 1918/1919; Other municipal bonds 1918/1923; Bonds of the Cassa Veneta dei Prestiti 1918/1920; Bonds and tokens from prison camps on Italian soil 1914/1918; Bonds and tokens from prison camps on enemy territory for Italians 1914/1918; Loose and protected stamps 1919/1923; Private metal and paper issues 1918/1925; Tram tokens 1919/1923; National loan 1917/1921; Historical, economic and monetary events between the two world wars; Government notes, autarchic coins and private issues 1936/1940; Historical, economic and monetary events during the Second World War; Bank of Italy banknotes, special AOI series 1942/1945; British Military Authority Notes 1943/1945. Yellow Seal Dollars 1943/1945; Am-Lire (Allied Military Currency) 1943/1946; Reichskreditkassen Notes 1943; Prison Camp Vouchers on Italian Territory 1940/1945; Concentration Camp Vouchers for Italian Prisoners 1940/1945; Loose and Protected Stamps 1943/1945; Fixed Denomination Cheques 1943/1945; National Liberation Movement Vouchers and Loans 1943/1945; Tram and Navigation Company Tokens 1943/1945; Other Private Initiatives 1943/1945; ITALIAN REPUBLIC: The Historical, Economic, and Monetary Events of the First Twenty Years of the Republic; Some Private Initiatives 1946/1955; Welfare vouchers and cards 1946/1955; Trieste Territory, some initiatives 1945/1954; Allied Military Bases vouchers 1946/1960; Fixed-denomination 50,000 and 100,000 lire cheques 1963/1967; The disappearance of the 500 lire coin 1965/1966; The economic events of the early 1970s and the shortage of 5 and 10 lire coins; Some private initiatives 1971/1973; The economic events of the late 1970s and the shortage of 50 and 100 lire coins; Loose and protected stamps 1974/1978; Metal and plastic tokens, paper vouchers and change cards 1974/1978; Fixed-denomination cheques and mini-cheques 1974/1978; Vending Machine Tokens 1974/1978; Telephone Tokens 1974/1978; The Road to the Euro; Euro Paper Tokens and Vouchers 1997/2001; Bibliography.

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

Writings on the Corpus Nummorum Italicorum (1911-1954), edited by Luca Lombardi, Giuseppe Ruotolo, sn, Vicenza 2010, pp. 155, 21 cm, br. and.

Series of Numismatic Studies of the Academy, 18.

On the title page: Italian Academy of Numismatic Studies; Vicenza Numismatics 2010, 19th Numismatics, Medal and Paper Money Fair, Vicenza 1-2 October 2010.

This volume collects writings on the Corpus Nummorum Italicorum, published between 1911 and 1954, by Serafino Ricci, Furio Lenzi, Alfredo Comandini, Nicolò Papadopoli Aldobrandini, Lorenzina Cesano, Quintilio Perini, Luigi Rizzoli, Nicola Borrelli, and Luigi Susani. The appendix also contains contributions by Michele Chimienti and Giuseppe Ruotolo.

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

The protagonists of the sieges of Montalcino in the 16th century, a review of historical events and coins, edited by Ivo Caprioli, photographs by Massimo Macinai, Al. Sa. Ba., Siena 1989, pp. 52, splendid color illustrations, 20 cm, hardback ed.

Catalogue of the exhibition held in Montalcino in 1989.

The book concludes with a brief afterword by the numismatist Luigi Simonetti, a leading figure in Italian numismatic studies in the second half of the twentieth century.

Excellent condition. Very rare.

Maria Amalia De Luca, The coins with Arabic legends from the Palermo Municipal Library, introduction by Filippo Guttuso, Part I, sn, Palermo 1998, pp. XXXIX, 399, richly illustrated, 31 cm, elegant cloth binding with gold titles and decorations on the covers and spine.

Aere Perennius Collection. Catalogs, 1.

At the top of the title page: City of Palermo, Department of Culture, Municipal Library.

Part I was the only one published. It is a work of considerable scientific interest, crafted with rigorous descriptive criteria and accompanied by high-quality illustrations.

Two elegant bookplates on the last pages (9x6 cm)

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

P. Lambros, Illustration of two unpublished coins struck by the counts of Salona (translation from the Greek), Typography of Laconia, Athens 1866, pp. 9, beautiful illustrations reproducing the coins examined, 20 cm, br. and. suit protected by contemporary cardboard.

Publication embellished by the author's autograph dedication to the numismatist and archaeologist Pellegrino Tonini (1824-1884).

In exceptional state of conservation.

Extremely rare, missing in all specialized libraries repertoriate.

Bernardino Biondelli, On the Gold Coins of the Goths in Italy. Observations, Giuseppe Bernardoni Printing House, Milan 1861, pp. 25, 1 splendid plate depicting coins, 25 cm, contemporary blank back cover.

A significant contribution dedicated to Gothic gold coinage in Italy, in which the author addresses attribution issues with the scholarly rigor typical of the finest nineteenth-century numismatic tradition. Of particular interest is the illustrated plate, which clearly documents the types examined in the text.

In excellent condition. Extremely rare.

Papal Coins, vol. I, Pope Clement XI, Giovanni Francesco Albani, sn, slsa, pp. 332, richly illustrated, 22 cm, half leather binding with gold titles on the spine, marbled paper boards.

A unique and meticulously crafted typescript volume, likely unique and intended for personal study and consultation, entirely dedicated to the coinage of Pope Clement XI. The text opens with the Pope's portrait and coat of arms, flanked by an image of Urbino, the city of origin of the Albani family, introducing a work constructed according to a clear systematic structure. For each coin, the reproduction, mint name, type designation, and metal are included, along with bibliographical references, particularly to the "Corpus Nummorum Italicorum" and Muntoni's "Le moneta dei Papi e degli Stati Pontifici," as well as detailed annotations on the legends. Of particular interest is the presence, for each piece, of a table designed to record auction entries, indicative of a tool designed for continuous use and open to updates over time. The result is a work of patient and rigorous execution, likely intended as a preparatory basis for a publication. The indication “vol. I” on the spine suggests a project divided into several volumes; however, no other parts are known.

In excellent condition.

Giancarlo Alteri, The Pontifical Medal from Leo XIII to John Paul II, Editrice per l'Enciclopedia del Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Udine 1992, pp. 154, richly illustrated, 24 cm, br. ed.

At the top of the title page: Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Province of Udine, Department of Culture; Municipality of Udine, Department of Culture; Credito Romagnolo; Banca del Friuli.

Cover: Italian Triennial of the Art Medal, Udine; AIAM Exhibition of Artists Members of the Italian Medal Association.

Small ownership stamp with proper name on the first and last cards.

In excellent condition. Extremely rare.

Historia aurea, The Gold Coins of the Civic Museum of Lodi, edited by Novella Vismara, Comune di Lodi, Lodi 2008, pp. 63, richly illustrated in color, 24 cm, hardback ed.

Catalogue published on the occasion of the Lodi exhibition held from 20 December 2008 to 19 January 2009, dedicated to the gold coins preserved at the Civic Museum of Lodi, from ancient to modern times, with the addition of gold medals and, finally, examples from the mints of Lodi and Piacenza.

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

Raffaele Paolucci, The coins of the doges of Venice. Evaluations updated to 1997, Raffaele Paolucci Editore, Padua 1997, pp. 31, richly illustrated, 28 cm, br. and.

Text in Italian and English.

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

GR Fleurimont, Medailles du regne de Louis XV, sn, Paris sd (after 1748), wonderful allegorical frontispiece, splendid frontispiece within a rocaille cartouche, dedication to the sovereign with an illustrated frame, 78 magnificent plates of finely engraved medals relating to the celebration of the most significant events in the life of Louis XV (the last of which bears the date 1748) each enclosed in a historiated frame and decorated with a tailpiece, 34 cm, highly valuable contemporary binding in spotted calfskin, six-ribbed spine with compartments enriched with phytomorphic friezes impressed in gold, gold title on a red morocco insert, plates decorated with elegant dry fillets and gilded edges, endpapers in fine marbled paper, edges dyed in red.

A sumptuous volume, in folio and on heavy paper, an authentic tribute to the art of numismatic engraving.

“Medailles du règne de Louis XV” was published in seven editions, each of which was enriched with new plates as Louis XV's life progressed. The 1748 edition, the subject of this description, is the seventh and last, the most extensive and definitive. The progressive and cumulative nature of the work has generated many uncertainties in the bibliographical field, further complicated by the alternation of editorial attributions: the first editions bear the name of Nicolas Godonnesche, while the subsequent ones are signed GR Fleurimont.

The known editions are:

1. With 33 plates, the last dated 1727, with dedication signed Godonnesche.

2. With 52 plates, the last one dated 1734, with dedication signed Godonnesche.

3. With 54 plates, the last one dated 1736, with dedication signed Godonnesche.

4. With 54 plates, the last dated 1736, with dedication signed Fleurimont.

5. With 54 plates, the last dated 1736, with dedication signed Fleurimont and engraved frontispiece.

6. With 63 numbered plates, the last dated 1745, plus 1 or 2 unnumbered plates and the frontispiece, with dedication signed Fleurimont.

7. With 78 plates, the last dated 1748, plus the frontispiece, with dedication signed Fleurimont.

Clas-Ove Strandberg in his catalogue of the collection of numismatic books of Queen Lovisa Ulrika (Stockholm 2001), clarified the matter by assuming that Godonnesche and Fleurimont were in fact the same person. Godonnesche was an engraver and curator of the Royal Cabinet of Medals. In 1731 he produced satirical engravings for JL Boursier's work, Explication abrégée des principales questions qui ont rapport aux affaires présentes, for which he lost his commission and was imprisoned in the Bastille. Once released, according to Strandberg, he continued to publish his works under the pseudonym Fleurimont. Regardless of the biographical truth, the work remains an extraordinary example of the art of engraving and a fundamental testimony to the medals of the period.

19th century numismatic ex libris on the back of the front cover.

Very slight traces of use on the spine, otherwise in superb condition with very fresh paper.

Very rare.

MZ, Dictionnaire de numismatique et de sigillographie religieuses, Tome unique, J.-P. Migne, Paris 1852, col. 1432, richly illustrated, 30 cm, fine and solid half morocco binding with gilt titles on the spine, raised bands, percale boards, marbled paper endpapers.

A wide-ranging and remarkably useful work, this impressive dictionary—both in size and content—collects and systematically organizes the main entries relating to religious numismatics and sigillography. It offers a comprehensive repertoire of terms, symbols, personalities, legends, events, religious orders, iconographic representations, and ceremonial uses attested on coins, medals, seals, and ecclesiastical emblems. The work draws on historical, liturgical, and antiquarian sources and is distinguished by its wealth of documentation and its attention to the historical and theological context of the issues and impressions.

Flowers, otherwise in excellent condition.

Extremely rare.

Antonio Pagani, Proofs and Projects of Italian Coins or Coins Minted in Italy from the French Invasion to the Present Day (1796-1955), Popular Governments, Napoleonic Rule, Restorations, Kingdoms, Duchies, Grand Duchies, Papal States, Provisional Governments, Kingdom of Italy and Colonies, San Marino, Vatican City, Italian Republic and Somalia (AFIS), Albania, Mario Ratto Editore Numismatico, Milan 1957, pp. VIII, 160, richly illustrated, 29 cm, br. ed.

Slight traces of use on the paperback, otherwise in excellent condition.

Very rare.

Alessandro Visconti, Unpublished Ancient Medals, from the Printing House of Paolo Salviucci and Son, Rome, no. 1, 1810, 56 pp. in total (numbered up to p. 23 with facing text in French with the same numbering), 2 splendid copperplates, 29 cm, paperback, colored edition with black titles within a double frame.

Additionally: Alessandro Visconti, Unpublished Ancient Medals, from the Printing House of Paolo Salviucci and Son, Rome, no. 2, 1810, 32 pp. in total (numbered from p. 23 to p. 39 with the corresponding French text), 1 splendid copperplate, 29 cm, paperback, colored edition with black titles within a double frame.

The numismatist Alessandro Visconti (1757-1835), active in the Roman antiquarian community, began publishing this numismatic periodical in 1810. It was among the first published in Italy, written in both Italian and French, as French was the international language of scholarly communication in the early 19th century. The editorial decision was likely also motivated by the hope of securing a significant number of requests in France, which would ensure the periodical's stable financial independence. However, after the second issue, publication was suspended. For further information, see Giuseppe Ruotolo's study, "Medaglie antiche inedite periodico edited by Alessandro Visconti," published in "Progresso Numismatico," March 2019.

The two issues constitute all the publications of this very rare periodical.

Copy in superb condition, untouched and with very fresh paper.

Studies in Punic Numismatics, National Research Council, Rome 1983, pp. 81, 42 plates, 28 cm, hardback edition with dust jacket.

Supplement to the Journal of Phoenician Studies, no. XI (1983).

From the Index: E. Acquaro, Foreword; J. Elayi, The Sphinx and Faucon Coins of Byblos; G.K. Jenkins, The Mqabba (Malta) Hoard of Punic Bronze Coins; A. Tusa Cutroni, Recent Solutions and New Problems in the Punic Coinage of Sicily; F. Guido, Punic Coins in a Private Collection in Sassari; L. Villaronga, Ten Years of Novelties in Spanish-Carthaginian Numiny 1973–1983; P. Serafin Petrillo, Gold and Silver in Some Barcid Coinage.

Untouched and in excellent condition.

Extremely rare.

Piero Bartoloni, Carla Perra, Punic coins from the Pispisa collection. Series II (264-241 BC), National Research Council, Rome 1998, pp. 43, 73 plates, 28 cm, softcover edition with dust jacket.

Supplement to the Journal of Phoenician Studies, no. XXVI (1998).

The volume offers the complete edition of a treasure trove of Punic coins found by chance in 1961 in the territory of Torralba in Sardinia. The coins, originally about 4000 but then largely dispersed due to various vicissitudes, were acquired by Vittorio Pispisa during his activity as Honorary Inspector and were finally donated by him to the Archaeological Museum of Carbonia. Those published here all belong to series II (O/ Head of Kore; R/ Standing Horse), attested in numerous variants, nine of which are unpublished. For this series, the find of Torralba is undoubtedly the numerically most important in Sardinia. The work therefore represents a significant contribution to numismatic and archaeological studies, in particular on the Punic coinage on the island in the 3rd century BC.

Small ownership signature on the title page.

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

Carlo Ricci, The cult of Diana in royal and republican Rome and its impact on silver coinage of the goddess from the beginning of the denarius to 31 BC, sn, sl 1991, pp. 69 including 3 plates of coins, 30 cm, bound in cloth ribbon.

Index: The reason for studying coin types with Diana; The piety of the moneyer as a leitmotif in republican silver coins; Diana's splendor and political decadence; Religious syncretism as another reason for decadence; The great leaders of the 1st century and Diana; The forty-four coins concerning the goddess; Group A: the coins of the "luminous" goddess; Group B and Group C; The coins dedicated to Artemis Agrotera (Diana the Huntress); The hybrids between Group A and Group B; Group D: coins that recall the original opposition between Jupiter and Diana; Group E: the crescent moon symbol of the night; Group F: coins without explanation; Group G: coins with particular subjects or reproducing famous statues.

Scientific publication issued in photocopy format, likely produced by the author in a limited number of copies.

Author's signature on the first page.

In perfect condition. Extremely rare.

Alberto Campana, The Coinage of the Italic Insurgents During the Social War (91-87 BC), Apparuti Edizioni, Soliera 1987, pp. XV, 153, richly illustrated, 12 plates, 32 cm, br. ed.

Edition of 600 copies.

Reference study for the systematic analysis of Italian issues of the period considered.

The text features a handwritten dedication from the author. An accompanying booklet contains photo reproductions of reviews published upon the work's release.

Slight traces of use on the paperback, otherwise in excellent condition.