Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia (and Client State)
1860s
In 1720, Vittorio Amadeus II exchanged his rule of Sicily for Sardinia and the House of Savoy became Kings of Sardinia, which was unified with its mainland territory of Savoy in northwestern Italy. In 1796, the House of Savoy ceded its mainland territory to Napoleon and was confined to the island of Sardinia.
In 1847, the official seat of the Kingdom of Sardinia became Turin, in Savoy, rather than the island itself. Under Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emmanuel II, the Kingdom of Sardinia expanded into the rest of Italy until a united Italy was declared in 1861, ending the Kingdom of Sardinia. The unification of modern day Italy under the House of Savoy was later completed with the annexation of Rome from the Papal States.
The obverse of the Kingdom of Sardinia coins state “King of Sardinia, Cyprus, and Jerusalem.” This is a holdover from a a 14th century claim to those kingdom — the Kingdom of Sardinia never actually held those territories.
1859, the United Provinces of Central Italy was established in former territory of the Papal States. Vittorio Emmanuel II was King, making this a client state of the Kingdom of Sardinia (light green pictured).
Circulation Coins
Certain images are clickable for more detail
Vittorio Emmanuel I
Vittorio Emmanuel I reigned 1802-1821. He abdicated in favor of his brother, Carlo Felice
In 1816, he adopted the lire which had spread through Italy under Napoleon’s rule. 1821 is a rare transitional year, with coins for both Vittorio Emmanuel I and Carlo Felice.
80 Lire
20 Lire
20 Lire
5 Lire
5 Lire
Carlo Felice
Carlo Felice (aka Charles Felix) reigned 1821-1831. He died without an heir.
80 Lire
40 Lire
20 Lire
5 Lire
2 Lire
1 Lira
50 Centesimi (1/2 lira)
25 Centesimi (1/4 lira)
Carlo Alberto
Carlo Alberto (aka Charles Albert) reigned 1831-1848. Carlo Alberto was a distant cousin of his predecessor, Carlo Felice, who died without an heir.
He led the first war of Italian independence, in what eventually became a unified Italy under his son and successor, Vittorio Emmanuel II. Carlo Alberto abdicated in 1849 following his defeat against the Austrians.
100 Lire
50 Lire
20 Lire
10 Lire
5 Lire
2 Lire
1 Lira
50 Centesimi (1/2 lira)
25 Centesimi (1/4 lira)
Vittorio Emmanuel II
(as King of Sardinia)
##Placeholder - Vittorio Emmanuel II
20 Lire
10 Lire
5 Lire
2 Lire
1 Lira
50 Centesimi (1/2 lira)
Vittorio Emmanuel II
(as King of the United Provinces of Central Italy)
20 Lire
10 Lire
5 Lire
(Bologna)
2 Lire
(Bologna)
2 Lire
(Florence)
1 Lire
(Bologna)
1 Lire
(Florence)
1 Lire
(Florence - Unlisted Variant)
1860
