Italian 10 soldo coin (Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy)

10 soldi
Coin from 1814
General information
Country	Kingdom of Italy
Value	0.50 lire; 10 soldi; 50 centesimi
Years	1808–1814
Measurements and composition
Mass	2.5 g
Diameter	18 mm
Composition	silver
Appearance
Shape	round
Alignment	coin
Edge	stars
Obverse	Napoleon
Reverse	Iron Crown of Lombardy
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The 10 soldo coin was issued from 1808 to 1814 by the Kingdom of Italy, a client state of the French Empire during the reign of Emperor Napoleon I, who also stylized himself as the leader of the kingdom. The coin had a value equal to 50 centesimi, or 0.50 lire, before being demonetized in 1814.

The coin is composed of .900 fine silver. It weighs 2.5 grams and measures approximately 18 millimeters in diameter. The 10 soldo coin was produced at mints in Bologna, Milan, and Venice, and its obverse was designed and engraved by Italian sculptor Luigi Manfredini. The coin uses coin alignment and its edge bears a few evenly-spaced, five-pointed stars. Featured on the coin's obverse is a right-facing depiction of Napoleon. The Italian caption "NAPOLEONE IMPERATORE E RE", translating to English as "Napoleon, Emperor and King", is written around the periphery of the coin, with the words starting near the bottom left of the portrait and continuing upward until arching downward and ending on the other side of the obverse. Inscribed below Napoleon's likeness is the date, flanked to the left by an oil lamp privy mark representing Manfredini and to the right by either an anchor, oak branch, or pomegranate, respectively signifying the Venice, Bologna, and Milan mints. A radiant depiction of the Iron Crown of Lombardy, the ceremonial headpiece worn by Napoleon during his coronation as King of Italy, is featured in the center of the reverse. Around the coin's rim above is the arched state title "REGNO D'ITALIA" (English: "Kingdom of Italy"), while the value "10 . SOLDI" and the mint mark are written below – with a "B" mark representing Bologna, an "M" indicating Milan, and a "V" signifying Venice. A total of at least 5,930,000 examples of the 10 soldo coin were produced. Milan minted a great majority of them, coining nearly 4,745,000 total pieces over the seven years of production. Venice only produced such coins from 1811 to 1813, striking a total of about 802,000 examples, while Bologna issued them from 1812 to 1813 and created about 383,000 pieces. A number of coins struck at Milan in 1808 have raised stars on the edge, and about 15,000 pieces produced at Bologna in 1812 feature the "B" mint mark stamped over an "M" mark.

A silver 10 soldo pattern was produced at Milan in 1806. It bears essentially the same designs as the subsequent 10 sold coins that entered circulation.

References

• Numismatic Guaranty Corporation website
• Numismatica Italiana – 10 soldi