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5 Lire Sulmona - n.78
| Issuer | Campo di Concentramento Prigionieri di Guerra - Fonte d'Amore di Sulmona |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1945 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Lira (1861-2001) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | CAMPO DI CONCENTRAMENTO PRIGIONIERI DI GVERRA FONTE D'AMORE DI SVLMONA BVONO PER LIRE CINQVE IL COLONNELLO COMANDANTE DEL CAMPO VALE SOLO PRESSO LO SPACCIO DEL CAMPO |
| Reverse description | Uniface note; the reverse is unprinted, showing plain cream paper with show-through impressions of the obverse text and stamps visible in mirror image. |
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| Comments |
The Fonte d'Amore camp outside Sulmona operated as a major Italian prisoner of war facility during the Second World War, holding primarily British and Commonwealth prisoners. Internal camp currency of this type was issued to prevent POWs from accumulating Italian lire — legal tender that could theoretically fund escape attempts or black market dealings with the local population. The system followed conventions established under the Geneva Convention, obligating the detaining power to credit prisoners' accounts and provide a means of internal exchange.
The "n.78" designation suggests serial or issue batch numbering rather than a denomination series. The official stamp served as the primary authentication device — without it, the scrip was void.