100 Lire Banca Popolare di Bergamo

This is one of the so-called "miniassegni" — the emergency small-denomination cheques that flooded Italy in the mid-1970s when a severe coin shortage made everyday transactions genuinely difficult. Banks, municipalities, and even private companies issued these bearer cheques in 50, 100, and 150 lire values to substitute for coins that were hoarded, melted, or simply absent from circulation. The Banca Popolare di Bergamo was among dozens of regional savings institutions that participated.

By 1977 the Banca d'Italia was actively discouraging the practice, and most series were withdrawn within a year or two of issue. Short lifespan, heavy everyday handling — surviving examples in clean condition are less common than their original print runs suggest.