Italian 15 soldo coin (Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy)

15 soldi
1808 coin
General information
Country	Kingdom of Italy
Value	0.75 lire; 15 soldi; 75 centesimi
Years	1808–1814
Measurements and composition
Mass	3.75 g
Diameter	21 mm
Composition	silver
Appearance
Shape	round
Alignment	coin
Edge	incuse stars
Obverse	Napoleon, year
Reverse	Iron Crown of Lombardy, state title, value
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The 15 soldo coin was issued from 1808 to 1814 by the Kingdom of Italy, a client state of the French Empire under Emperor Napoleon I, who also stylized himself as the King of Italy. The coin had a value equal to 75 centesimi, or 0.75 lire, before being demonetized in 1814.

The coin is composed of .900 fine silver, weighs approximately 3.75 grams, and measures 21 millimeters in diameter. It uses coin alignment and features several incuse, five-pointed stars on its edge. Unlike most coins of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, it was only struck at Milan. The obverse, designed and engraved by Italian sculptor Luigi Manfredini, features a right-facing portrait of Napoleon in its center. The Italian legend "NAPOLEONE IMPERATORE E RE", which translates to English as "Napoleon, Emperor and King", is engraved along the upper periphery, starting near the bottom left of the portrait and extending upwards before arching downwards and ending at the other side of the obverse. Featured below Napoleon's likeness is the year of minting, flanked to the left by a pomegranate signifying production at Milan, and to the right by the oil lamp privy mark of Luigi Manfredini. The Iron Crown of Lombardy, the ceremonial headpiece worn by Napoleon during his coronation as King of Italy, is featured in the middle of the reverse. Above it is the state title "REGNO D'ITALIA" (English: "Kingdom of Italy"), and below it is the value "15 . SOLDI" and the "M" mint mark of Milan. A total of about 62,370 examples were struck: 38,000 in 1808; 15,000 in 1809; 9,000 in 1810; and 370 in 1814. The 1810-dated pieces were not put into circulation, and all of the examples that have surfaced thus far have proven to have a fake date. Despite the mintage from 1814 being much smaller than that of 1809, the latter is considered more valuable due to its rarity. Krause's Standard Catalog of World Coins lists a price range of between US$600 for a Very Fine 1809 coin to US$3000 for a specimen in MS63 condition, while the range for the 1814 coin spans from US$240 for Very Fine to US$1500 for MS63. The 1808 date is the most common, and ranges from US$150 to US$800 in value.

A silver 15 soldo pattern coin was produced at Milan in 1806. It bears the same designs as the subsequent 15 soldo coins that entered circulation.

References

• Numismatic Guaranty Corporation – ITALIAN STATES KINGDOM OF NAPOLEON 15 Soldi C# 7 1808-1814
• ITALIAN STATES KINGDOM OF NAPOLEON 15 Soldi KM# Pn7 1806
• Numismatica Italiana – 15 soldi del Regno d'Italia - Napoleone Bonaparte