Details
Year of Emission 1997
Quality Proof (shiny background)
Metal Gold 18Kt - Silver 999/1000
Size Diameter: mm 30
Circulation World Wide Limited to 999 copies
Two Metal Thousand Lire
The two metal thousand Lire coin was minted from 1997 to 2001 with 100,000,000 pieces. It is of first class. The second printing in 1997 was coined rarther badly. In fact, the date, the "r"" in the coin's imprint and the signature of the suthor, are either faint or missing altogether. The authors are Laura Cretara and Uliana Pernazza. It has an allegoric scene (Italia Torrita), and on the back Europa Svelata.
Two variants exist of the two metal 1000 Lire; the first clearly shows Europe with its borders before '89 that is with Germany still divided. It is not a rarity, as some may think, because the coin had already been printed and distributed in thousands of pieces before the error was brought to public attention and a new reverse needed. Not until 1997 were both two metal thousand Lire coins minted at the same time, while in 1998 only the version with the correct map was minted. It has a diameter of 27mm and weighs 8.8 g, with a discontinued knurled edge.
