Milan

Napoleon Bonaparte, King of Italy 1805-1814

Pagani 17 a, PCGS-graded Proof 66 Deep Cameo

Very rare Proof issue of the Milan Mint. A splendid example of this Napoleanic era gold rarity!

In January 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte assumed the title of Chief Magistrate of the newly formed Italian republic. In May 1804, Napoleon proclaimed his empire in France, and a year later (on March 17, 1805) he became King of Italy by default, although his army still did not control the entire land mass of Italy. Napoleon was crowned in Milan. The coinage changed from the franc to the lira on March 21, 1806, but the first coins of the new Kingdom of Italy were not issued until 1807. This magnificent Proof gold coin is among the greatest of Napoleon’s Italian coins.