Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand II Piastra 1857

Silver 120 grana piastre, 6th type, struck in 1857 in Naples, with a fineness of 833‰. Coin issued under Ferdinand II of Bourbon for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, located in southern Italy, was unified in 1816 under the Bourbon dynasty. Ferdinand II of Bourbon reigned from 1830 to 1859 and is remembered for his efforts to modernize the country, particularly in industry, infrastructure, and the navy. He built Italy’s first railway line (Naples–Portici in 1839) and expanded military and naval shipyards. His reign was also marked by authoritarian rule: although he harshly suppressed the liberal revolts of 1848, he retained some popular support through his economic reforms. Ferdinand II was nicknamed “Re Bomba” (“King Bomb”) after the bombardment of Messina, a symbol of his firmness. He died in 1859, shortly before the unification of Italy, which brought an end to Bourbon rule in the south.