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20 Euros Italy
| Issuer | Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato |
|---|---|
| Year | 2008 |
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| Value | 20 Euros |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | A detailed rendering of an ancient Mediterranean sailing vessel occupies the central field, depicted underway on stylized waves with billowing sails and rigging fully extended. Twelve five-pointed stars, representing the member states of the European Union, arc around the upper portion of the field. The date 2008 appears to the left of the vessel, while the Italian Republic monogram IR is incused to the right. The engraver's signature E. L. FRAPICCINI is inscribed along the lower rim. The design is executed in a refined relief characteristic of Italian proof coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | 2008 RI E. L. FRAPICCINI (Translation: (RI) = Italian Republic) |
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| Additional information |
Italy's 2008 gold 20 euro issues belong to a commemorative program launched in 2001 that paired gold and silver coins around themes of Italian art, architecture, and cultural patrimony. The Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato — which consolidated Italy's printing and minting operations under a single state entity in 1928 — has managed this program continuously, with annual mintages kept deliberately low to sustain collector demand.
The .900 fineness matches the historic European gold coin standard rather than the modern .999 norm, a deliberate nod to pre-decimal Italian monetary tradition.