Details
Year of Emission 1951
Quality Proof (shiny background)
Metal Gold 18Kt
Size Diameter: mm 22
Circulation World Wide Limited to 999 copies
One Italian Lira
One Italian Lira coin. minted as a trial for the first time in 1951, then 3,680,000 pieces were successively printed in the same year. It is a first class coin due to the absence of defects. The coin remained uncommon during the first three years of production. Its theme if a cornucopia, symbol of abundance and a set of scales on the reverse side, symbol of justice. According to Greek mythology, the cornucopia was the horn owned by the midwife of Zeus, Amalthea, and could be filled up with whatever its owner desired.
The moulds of the one Lira are by Giuseppe Romagnoli, the engravings on italma (an aluminum, magnesium and manganese alloy) supervised by Pietro Giampaoli.
The One Lira is 17.2 mm in diameter and weighs 0.625 g with a smooth edge. The minting of this coin was suspended in 1959 until 1968, when it was minted again in limited collectors editions. In fact since 1968 this coin can only be found in collectors editions.
