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1000 Lire Summer Olympics 1996
| Issuer | Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | KM#182, Schön#186 |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse depicts a dynamic male torch-bearer in full stride to the right, rendered in classical style and positioned to the left of center, referencing the ancient Olympic tradition of the torch relay. Behind the runner, a large stylized numeral '1' forms the tens digit of the denomination, with three Olympic rings completing the '1000' denomination in the lower field. A radiating sunburst motif with concentric arc lines fills the upper right of the field, evoking speed and athletic energy. The mint mark 'R' for the Rome Mint appears to the right, with the engraver's signature 'L. DE SIMONI' along the lower right rim. Inscriptions read ATLANTA at the top, 1996 at the lower left, and XXVI OLIMPIADE along the lower arc. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Italy's 1996 Olympic commemorative was issued for the Atlanta Games — the centennial Olympics, held in the United States rather than Athens despite significant lobbying by Greece to reclaim the centenary on home soil. The IOC's decision in 1990 to award Atlanta the Games over Athens caused lasting diplomatic friction, a controversy still raw when this coin entered production.
The .835 silver alloy is characteristic of Italian lire commemoratives of the period, a fineness rooted in pre-unification coinage traditions maintained largely for continuity rather than economic necessity.