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