Italy. Liguria (incl. Monaco). Rossi, G. Monete dei Grimaldi Principi di Monaco. Oneglia; Giovanni Ghilini, 1868 & 1885. Complete in two parts. 8vo., pp. 111, (3); 86, (2); 9 fine lithographic plates, one folding. Both parts neatly bound into a single volume in blue quarter morroco and marbled boards, raised bands, lettered in gilt. Extremities rubbed, particularly to the joints, the contents lightly browned else very clean. With a three-page manuscript letter from Rossi to Adrien de Longpérier, dated 29th May 1869 bound in, along with a clear rubbing of an exceptionally rare 1660 silver 28 Sol piece of Honoré II tipped in on the appropriate plate. From the library of Luigi Cora, with his bookplate on the front pastedown. A very fine copy of the rarely offered, original edition of this book on the coinage of the Grimaldi family of Monaco, with a fine provenance and particularly attractive with the additional material included. Very rare thus.
There are two known examples of the silver Tallero of Honoré II with the rubbing tipped in here bearing a strong likeness to the example illustrated in the current (2015) edition of Gadoury’s Monnaies Françaises, MC44, p. 450. See also lot 1477 for the 1885 article by Rossi on the same piece. Bassoli p. 71. Cifferi p. 408. Clain-Stefanelli 10836. Gnecchi p. 223.