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1/2 Lira - Victor Amadeus II
| Issuer | Duchy of Savoy (Italian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1717-1718 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Central quartered and subdivided heraldic shield bearing the complex arms of the House of Savoy, surmounted by an ornate royal crown with elaborate acanthus scrollwork. The date is divided across the upper field flanking the crown, and the denomination mark appears at the base of the shield in the lower field. A continuous Latin legend surrounds the composition, referencing the ruler's additional titles as Duke and Prince. |
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| Additional information |
Victor Amadeus II extracted the Kingdom of Sicily from Spain through the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, then was forced to swap it for Sardinia in 1720 under Austrian pressure — a humiliating trade he accepted rather than lose everything. These 1717–1718 issues fall squarely in the Sicilian interlude, struck while he still held that prize. The Duchy of Savoy was simultaneously modernizing its mint administration during this period, and the high fineness of .917 reflects deliberate policy to maintain credibility in northern Italian commercial markets increasingly skeptical of debased coinage from rival states.