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500 Lire Bank of Italy
| Issuer | Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 11 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Central design featuring a group of three allegorical statues, below which appears a detailed architectural view of Palazzo Koch, the historic headquarters of the Bank of Italy in Rome. The commemorative dates '1893' and '1993' flank the central composition at either side, marking the centenary of the institution. The denomination 'L. 500' appears in the lower field alongside the Rome Mint mark 'R'. The legend 'CENTENARIO BANCA D'ITALIA' arcs prominently across the upper portion of the field. |
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| Additional information |
The 500 lire bimetallic circulation coin had already been running since 1982, but silver issues of this denomination were struck specifically for collectors, not commerce. By 1993, Italy was in the middle of a currency crisis — the lira had been ejected from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in September 1992, "Black Wednesday" by way of Rome — and the Banca d'Italia itself was an unlikely subject for commemoration given the political turbulence surrounding its independence debates at the time.
The Istituto Poligrafico managed both banknote printing and coin production, an unusual institutional consolidation that remained a point of bureaucratic contention well into the euro transition years.