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5 Lire - Umberto I Obverse trial
| Issuer | Italian Eritrea |
|---|---|
| Year | 1890 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Pag#137 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is entirely blank, presenting a flat, unadorned field with no design, legend, or device of any kind. This uniface trial piece was struck solely to test the obverse die, and the reverse retains only the plain surface of the planchet with visible surface marks consistent with its experimental nature. |
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| Mintage | 1890 |
| Additional information |
Italian Eritrea was proclaimed a formal colony in January 1890, and the colonial administration almost immediately began exploring a dedicated coinage — partly as a practical necessity, partly as a deliberate assertion of Italian presence in the Horn of Africa. This piece is an obverse trial strike in tin, produced to test die alignment, relief depth, and collar fit before committing to silver production. Tin was the standard proofing material in Italian mints of the period precisely because it flows cleanly under low pressure and exposes flaws that harder metals might obscure.
Pagani 137 is among the rarer trial attributions for this colonial series.