(Vendue pour $53.0)

1236, Italy, Bergamo (City). Silver Denaro Imperiale Scodellato Coin. Scarce!

Mint Place: Bergamo Mint Period: 1197-1250 Reference: Biaggi 354, MIR 18. Condition: Lightly chipped edge, otherwise VF!  Denomination: Denaro Imperiale Scodellato - Struck in the name of Emperor Frederick II. Diameter: 15mm Material: Silver Weight: 0.8gm

Obverse: Laureate bust of Frederick II to right based on the model of the gold augustalis of Messina and Brindisi. All within inner circle. Legend: + IMPTR FEDERICVS

Reverse: Church façade surmounted by cross with two towers at sides, with five arches above rocks. Legend: PGA - MVM (P with horizontal bar for PER)

Authenticity unconditionally guaraneed.

Bergamo is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Milan, and approximately 30 km (19 mi) from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Como and Iseo, and 70 km (43 mi) from Garda and Maggiore. The Bergamo Alps (Alpi Orobie) begin immediately north of the city.

From the 6th century Bergamo was the seat of one of the most important Lombard duchies of northern Italy, together with Brescia, Trento, and Cividale del Friuli: its first Lombard duke was Wallaris.

After the conquest of the Lombard Kingdom by Charlemagne, it became the seat of a county under one Auteramus (d. 816). An important Lombardic hoard dating from the 6th to 7th centuries was found in the vicinity of the city in the 19th century and is now in the British Museum.

From the 11th century onwards, Bergamo was an independent commune, taking part in the Lombard League which defeated Frederick I Barbarossa in 1165. The local Guelph and Ghibelline factions were the Colleoni and Suardi, respectively.

Feuding between the two initially caused the family of Omodeo Tasso to flee north c. 1250, but he returned to Bergamo in the later 13th century to organize the city's couriers: this would eventually lead to the Imperial Thurn und Taxis dynasty generally credited with organizing the first modern postal service.