Catalog
1 Lira Italian occupation
| Issuer | Cassa Mediterranea di Credito per il Sudan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1940 |
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| Printer | Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Rome, Italy (1928-date) |
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| Obverse description | At left, an oval intaglio vignette presents a classical bust of Emperor Augustus. The issuer's title runs along the top margin in parallel Italian and Arabic scripts, while the denomination 'BUONO PER UNA LIRA EG.' is set in italic lettering at centre. A rectangular serial number reserve framed by ornamental scrollwork occupies the right field, with a bilingual legal obligation clause in small letterpress at lower left. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A fine guilloche underprint covers the central field of the reverse. The issuer's name in Italian and Arabic is repeated at top, with the denomination in italic script at centre; the numeral '1' and its Arabic equivalent 'جنيه مصري' occupy all four corners. A bilingual legal tender clause in small letterpress appears at lower centre. |
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| Comments |
The Cassa Mediterranea di Credito was a purpose-built Italian colonial financial instrument, not a conventional central bank. Separate versions were established for Greece, Ethiopia, and the Sudan — each issuing currency denominated in lire rather than the local monetary unit, a deliberate policy of economic assimilation tied to Mussolini's imperial ambitions in East and North Africa.
The Sudan series was issued following Italy's entry into the war in June 1940 and intended for use in territories anticipated to fall under Italian control. Given the rapid collapse of Italian forces in East Africa by 1941, actual circulation was extremely limited.