Bertolami Fine Art
Auction 19 11-12 November 2015
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Messina, Ferdinando il Cattolico (1474-1516), "Hafsid" Dinar o Doppia Tripolina, 1479-1516; AV (g 4,68; mm 19; h 12); Arab coin countermarked with crowned eagle l., with open wings; above, F, Rv. Vanished Arab legend. Spahr pag. 123; Grierson-Travaini pag. 328
Extremely rare, about extremely fine.
This is a very special coin of emergency, known in small numbers, the countermark is struck on a Dinar of "Abu Amr Uthman" who ruled from 1435 to 1488. In 1489, there was a terrible famine in North Africa, now Tunisia, at the time ruled by the dynasty Hafsid, and so it became necessary to buy a huge amount of grain from Sicily (7,650,000 kg). In that year, for a fortunate coincidence, the production in Sicily had been exceptional and this acquisition was paid in gold dinars. The massive influx of foreign gold in such a short time would not allow the restruck, therefore the Sacred Royal Council of Sicily, on 24 September 1489, legalized the countermarked dinars, to guarantee its weight and quality, and value of 14.5 tari. The 19 January 1490 the council decreed the minting of a new coin, the Trionfo, which was minted on 19 March 1490. So the countermarked dinars were withdrawn to produce the new coin. This explains the small number and rarity of the few known specimens, survived the merger and the minting. (Cfr. Spahr, p. 123, Grierson-Travaini p. 328)
Extremely rare, about extremely fine.
This is a very special coin of emergency, known in small numbers, the countermark is struck on a Dinar of "Abu Amr Uthman" who ruled from 1435 to 1488. In 1489, there was a terrible famine in North Africa, now Tunisia, at the time ruled by the dynasty Hafsid, and so it became necessary to buy a huge amount of grain from Sicily (7,650,000 kg). In that year, for a fortunate coincidence, the production in Sicily had been exceptional and this acquisition was paid in gold dinars. The massive influx of foreign gold in such a short time would not allow the restruck, therefore the Sacred Royal Council of Sicily, on 24 September 1489, legalized the countermarked dinars, to guarantee its weight and quality, and value of 14.5 tari. The 19 January 1490 the council decreed the minting of a new coin, the Trionfo, which was minted on 19 March 1490. So the countermarked dinars were withdrawn to produce the new coin. This explains the small number and rarity of the few known specimens, survived the merger and the minting. (Cfr. Spahr, p. 123, Grierson-Travaini p. 328)