Watch List notes:

ITALY, Napoli (ducato). 821-832. Æ Light follaro (20mm, 1.38 g, 6h). Class I. S/C/S to left; [I]/A/И/V to right, facing bust of St. Gennaro (Januarius) / Cross potent [set on two steps]; S T across field. Cf. CNI XIX 10; MIR 8 (Stefano II; half follis); Pannuti-Riccio 1 (same); MEC 14, 1; Biaggi 1616 (same); CNG 105, lot 1131. Rough red and brown patina. VF. Very rare.


Grierson (p.43-4) discusses the dukes of Naples adoption of designs from Byzantium for their own local copper follari. The design directly imitates the new-style folles of the Byzantine Emperor Theophilus. The busts of Sergio I and the patron of the city of Naples, Saint Gennaro, are used on this impressive and extremely rare issue.