Short Guide to Italian Republican
Coins
First issue (1946-1950)
Please note: all pictures
are scanned larger than actual size to better show details.
The Republic's
first issue, is made of 4 coins: 1 Lira (orange) Km#87,
2 Lire (wheat) Km#88, 5 Lire (grapes) km#89, 10 Lire (olive branch -Pegasus)
km#90.
There is not
much to say about the images on these coins since they are
pretty much self explanatory. Most of them represent the main agricoltural
products of Italy:oranges from Sicily; wheat used for bread, pasta,
pizza; olive oil, and of course wine. The 1 and 5 Lire coins show onthe
obv. an allegorical portrait of the Italian Republic, that you can also
see, in different portraits, on most current coins.
1 Lira Km#87:
1 Lira Km# 88:
Obv.: a farmer.
Rev.: an ear of wheat.
5 Lire Km# 89:
10 Lire Km#90:
The 10 Lire coin has on the obv. the image of Pegasus.
Pegasus, the winged horse, was born from the blood
of Medusa (mithological creaturewith snakes in place of hair) when Perseus
cut her head off. Medusa had been Poseidon's lover
(the god of the sea), so this mithological horse is considered
his son. He carried lightnings to Zeus (the king of Olimpus), and
was rided by Apollo (Mercury), the gods' messenger.
Rev. an olive branch.
All the above coins were minted in
Italma, an alloy of 962°/°° Aluminum,
135°/°° Magnesium, 3°/°° Manganese.
All of
them are no longer legal tender.
