5 Lire - Umberto I Obverse trial

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.