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10 Lire Allied Military Currency
| Issuer | Allied Military Authority |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Lira (1861-2001) |
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| Obverse description | The face is printed in black letterpress over a pink guilloche underprint, with the denomination numeral '10' at each corner and the inscription 'ISSUED IN ITALY' at top centre. The central field carries the Italian denomination 'DIECI' above the large numeral '10' flanked by 'TEN' on either side, with 'LIRE' below. The note is framed by an ornate dark blue intaglio border with foliate corner ornaments, 'SERIES OF 1943 A' appearing twice, and the serial number printed in red at the foot. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed entirely in light blue-green on white paper, centred on an elaborate guilloche cartouche bearing the text 'ALLIED MILITARY CURRENCY' in three lines within a decorative oval frame surrounded by lathe-work scrollwork. The four freedoms are inscribed in the upper and lower margins: 'FREEDOM OF SPEECH' and 'FREEDOM OF RELIGION' at top, 'FREEDOM FROM WANT' and 'FREEDOM FROM FEAR' at foot. A fine guilloche lace border frames the entire design. |
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| Comments |
Allied Military Currency for Italy was produced under a joint Anglo-American program authorized ahead of the Sicily landings in July 1943. The U.S. Treasury and British Treasury shared responsibility for the scheme, but practical production fell almost entirely to American commercial printers. Forbes Lithograph in Boston handled portions of the lire series using offset lithography rather than intaglio — a cost-and-speed decision that gave the notes a distinctly flat, commercial appearance compared to prewar Banca d'Italia issues.
The Italian government was never consulted on the design or issuance. Rome formally objected to AMC currency after the armistice, viewing it as an inflationary instrument outside its control — which it was.