Coins Hidden From Nazis: Italian Gold Masterpieces Emerge in NAC’s Traveller Collection Sale
Numismatica Ars Classica will bring another chapter of the extraordinary Traveller Collection to auction on May 27, 2026, in Zurich. This fourth Traveller Collection sale focuses on Italian coins and carries a total pre-sale estimate of CHF 1.6 million (£1,512,239 / €1,746,638). However, collectors should expect fierce bidding. The series has already proved that published estimates can quickly disappear when fresh rarities reach the market.
The sale, listed by NAC as Auction 168: The Traveller Collection IV, Part 1 – Italian Coins, begins at 4:30 p.m. in Zurich. NAC’s online listing highlights major Italian rarities from Genoa, Milan, Savoy, and Venice, including an unrecorded Genoese 12½ doppie, a Napoleonic pattern 40 lire, a 1663 Turin 10 scudi, and significant Venetian gold multiples.
A Collection Hidden From War
The Traveller Collection has one of the most compelling backstories in modern numismatics.
Its anonymous owner, now known only as “the Traveller,” assembled more than 15,000 coins across many regions and eras. As the threat of Nazi invasion grew, he buried the collection in Europe to protect it from looting. The coins remained hidden for more than 50 years. As a result, many pieces survived with surfaces and pedigrees rarely seen in the modern market. NGC has also summarized the collection’s wartime history and noted that the coins are now appearing in a series of NAC auctions.
That history gives the Italian sale added weight. These coins do not simply represent money, art, and power. They also survived one of the darkest periods of the 20th century.
Italy Takes Center Stage
The Italian section reveals how widely the Traveller moved through the old European coin trade. Based on the coins’ pedigrees, NAC believes the collector spent considerable time in Italy. There, he likely met major collectors and dealers while acquiring important coins privately and publicly.
That effort now gives collectors access to a remarkable group of Italian gold. The sale reaches from Renaissance and early modern civic issues to Napoleonic patterns and Venetian presentation pieces. Moreover, several lots come with pedigrees from the 1930s, including purchases from J. Schulman and other important channels.
Napoleon Pattern 40 Lire Could Draw Heavy Attention
One major highlight comes from Milan. The 1807 gold pattern 40 lire depicts Napoleon I as Emperor of the French and King of Italy. The coin weighs 12.03 grams and carries the denomination 40 LIRE on the reverse. The obverse legend names Napoleon as emperor and king. The reverse displays the arms of the Kingdom of Italy.
NAC describes the piece as “apparently unique” and calls it one of the great rarities of the Napoleonic series. Its obverse includes the initials ML, which the press release identifies with master engraver Luigi Manfredini. That feature adds another layer of importance because NAC notes no other specimen from this die carries the same feature.
The coin carries an estimate of CHF 60,000. Still, its rarity, Napoleonic appeal, and long absence from the auction market may push it far beyond that level.
An Unrecorded Genoese 12½ Doppie
Genoa provides another headline lot.
The sale includes a 1692 12½ doppie from the third phase of Genoese coinage, dated 1637 to 1797. The gold coin weighs 83.49 grams. Its obverse shows the Blessed Virgin seated on clouds, holding a scepter and the Christ Child, while cherubs crown her with stars. The reverse carries an ornate cross with winged cherub heads in the quarters.
NAC identifies the date as unrecorded in Lunardi and MIR. The firm also calls the denomination extremely rare and describes the piece as among the finest 12½ doppie known. It carries a CHF 125,000 estimate.
For collectors of Italian gold, this coin delivers the ideal combination: rarity, artistry, weight, condition, and a newly documented date.
Savoy Gold and the Strada Reale
The House of Savoy also plays a major role in the sale.
A 1663 10 scudi from Turin depicts Charles Emmanuel II, Duke of Savoy. The gold coin weighs 33.23 grams and carries an estimate of CHF 100,000. NAC calls it extremely rare and places it among the finest specimens in private hands.
Charles Emmanuel II shaped Savoy’s rise during the 17th century. He promoted trade, strengthened administration, improved communications, and supported Turin’s growth as a political and cultural center. Most notably, he advanced the road across the Alps that connected Piedmont with the County of Nice. That route later became known as the Strada Reale, or Royal Road.
Because of that history, the coin links portraiture, statecraft, and infrastructure in one impressive gold issue.
Venetian Gold Giants Anchor the Sale
Venice adds spectacle.
A Ludovico Manin 50 zecchini, struck during the final years of the Venetian Republic, weighs 172.21 grams. The obverse shows St. Mark presenting the banner to the kneeling doge. The reverse shows the Redeemer standing within an elliptical halo. NAC calls the piece exceedingly rare and among the largest Venetian multiples to appear on the market. It carries an estimate of CHF 50,000 and a minimum bid of CHF 40,000.
NAC also lists a Paolo Renier scudo della croce multiple of 26 zecchini. That coin weighs 90.60 grams and carries a CHF 60,000 estimate. It features a voided cross on one side and the lion of St. Mark on the other.
In addition, the sale includes a 1756 Venetian gold medal with the weight of six zecchini. The medal depicts the Lion of St. Mark and carries a naval battle scene on the reverse. NAC describes it as a piece of the highest rarity and notes its exceptional state of preservation. It carries a CHF 20,000 estimate and has been certified NGC MS 62.
Together, these Venetian pieces show how the republic used gold not only as money, but also as ceremony, propaganda, and memory.
Traveller Collection Momentum Continues
The Italian sale follows strong earlier results from the Traveller Collection series. In November 2025, a 1629 Ferdinand III 100 ducats realized CHF 2,388,750. CoinWeek previously reported that result as a record-setting moment in the series.
NGC also reported that 19 other vintage European coins in NAC’s November 2025 Traveller Collection auction realized more than $100,000 each. That result confirms the depth of the collection and explains why collectors will watch the Italian section closely.
Auction Details
NAC will offer The Traveller Collection IV, Part 1 – Italian Coins on May 27, 2026, in Zurich. The sale begins at 4:30 p.m. local time. NAC lists 227 lots in Auction 168, with bidding available through the firm’s online platform.
The sale will take place at the Mandarin Oriental Savoy in Zurich, according to the announcement. More information is available through Numismatica Ars Classica at arsclassicacoins.com.
About Numismatica Ars Classica
Numismatica Ars Classica was founded in Zurich in 1988 and held its first auction the following year. The firm specializes primarily in Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Italian coins, while also handling other important areas of numismatics. NAC maintains locations in London, Zurich, Milan, and Chicago.
The post Hidden for 50 Years: NAC’s Traveller Collection Reveals Italian Gold Masterpieces in Zurich appeared first on CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors.
from CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors https://ift.tt/Ex9lOqc
