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The E-Sylum: Volume 24, Number 7, February 14, 2021, Article 26

PIETRO GIAMPAOLI'S ITALY 500 LIRA COIN DESIGN

David Pickup submitted this Valentine's Day story about the Italian 500 Lira coin design. Thanks. -Editor

Italy 500 Lira coin

Feeling Romantic? A coin for Valentine's

This is a beautiful coin. It is not rare but the designs are exceptional. The obverse was designed by an artist called Pietro Giampaoli and shows a young woman in Renaissance dress, surrounded by 19 shields. From lower left the shields are: Genova, Torino, Aosta, Milano, Trento, Venezia, Trieste, Udine, Bologna, Firenze, Ancona, Perugia, Roma, L'Aquila, Napoli, Bari, Potenza, Catanzaro, Sicilia, Cagliari. The last two are hidden behind the bust. The designers' name is below the portrait.

The coin has raised edge letter within six stars REPVBBLICA ITALIANA ***[date]*** The reverse has Christopher Columbus's ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria sailing to right, the denomination L. 500 and letter R for the mint The designer of the reverse was Guido Veroi. Born in 1926 in Rome ; died January 16, 2013 there ) was an Italian sculptor , medallist. The coins were issued from late 1958 to 1967 and then in specimen sets.

There is a story that the obverse design was not intended to be for a coin but a present for a lady. Another account says it was a wedding anniversary gift and a medallion with the design won first prize at 1951 International Numismatics Exposition in Madrid. Just the thing for a Valentine's Day gift!

Sources:
File:IT-1958-Lire-500.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12563589)
Story behind the 500 Lire coin design? (https://www.cointalk.com/threads/story-behind-the-500-lire-coin-design.69049/)
Numista › Coins › Italy › Italy 500 Lire (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces2716.html)



Wayne Homren, Editor

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