10 Lire

The Republic of Venice ceased to exist in May 1797 when Napoleon Bonaparte, without serious military justification, forced the dissolution of the Great Council — ending over a thousand years of continuous republican governance. This coin was struck in the republic's final months, almost certainly before the fall. The Serenissima had issued coinage in its own name since the 9th century; this 10 Lire piece belongs to one of the last series to carry that authority.

Surviving examples in better grades are not especially rare, but the historical terminus gives even circulated pieces an unusual finality.