Catalog
4 Bese - Vittorio Emanuele III
| Issuer | Regio Istituto Zecca (Rome Mint) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1909 |
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| Value | 4 Bese (0.04) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | VITTORIO·EMANVELE·III·RE·D`ITALIA PROVA |
| Reverse description | Central design features the denomination 4 BESE and date 1909 in Latin numerals, accompanied above by the Arabic denomination ٤ بيزات, all contained within a raised circular inner border flanked by two small rosette ornaments at either side. The Arabic legend الصومال الإيطالياني occupies the upper arc of the outer field, while SOMALIA ITALIANA arcs along the lower periphery in bold Latin capitals. The mint mark R appears in small letters below the central circle at the base. The entire design is surrounded by a dentilated rim consistent with the obverse. |
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| Additional information |
The 4 Bese denomination was struck for Italian Somaliland, a colonial territory administered from Mogadishu following Italy's consolidation of its East African holdings in 1908. The besa system — derived from the local copper coinage already in circulation — was adopted deliberately to ease acceptance among a population accustomed to existing fractional values. This piece, cataloged as a pattern, never entered circulation; production of circulating coinage for the colony shifted to the 1 and 2 Besa denominations instead.