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HomeWorld CoinsItaly 2015 Centenary of the First World War 10 Euro Silver Coin

Italy 2015 Centenary of the First World War 10 Euro Silver Coin

Description:

To mark the centenary of the First World War, the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (Mint of Italy) offered collectors a silver 10-euro commemorative coin featuring the designs of Italian engravers Luciana De Simoni and U. Pernazza. Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary on May 23, 1915. It fought on the side of Britain, France, and Russia. Twenty-five years later, Italy would declare war on Britain and France, siding with Germany. Italy actually never declared war against Russia, but acted against Russia on Russian soil alongside allied Germany.

Struck in Proof, the Italy 2015 Centenary of the First World War 10-Euro Silver Coin was issued on May 5 and has a mintage of 5,000 pieces.

 

Obverse:

The head and neck of a masculine figure. His curled hair flows over a starred headband, his eyes downcast. A mirror-like halo wraps around his head. Inscribed within “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”. A thick vegetal wring wraps around the coin’s outer rim. On the statue’s neck, in mirrored incuse lettering is the date “2015”. The designer’s name “L. DE SIMONI” appears below, in small letters in relief.

Reverse:

Leonardo Bistolfi’s evocative 1911 statue “Sacrifice”. The statue is one of the artistic centerpieces of Rome’s Vittoriano, and shows four figures intertwined: at the center, a slave, still bound by chains, is about to be freed. He supports his dying brother in his arms. The dying brother, who has sacrificed his lift on the heroic altar of Risorgimento, received a final kiss from the goddess of Liberty. She wears a Phrygian cap. Her right hand cups her breast. Also holding up the dying man is another female figure. To the right of the statue is the Mint of Rome’s “R” mintmark. To the left is the coin’s denomination, inscribed as EURO 10, with “10” in an oversized font. At the base of the statue is the following inscription: CENTENARY PRIMA GUERRA MONDIALE (Centenary of the First World War). In the exergue, the designer’s name, U. PERNAZZA, is inscribed.

 

Designer(s): Luciana De Simoni is an engraver / artist at the Italian Mint. View Designers Profile. U. Pernazza is an engraver / artist at the Italian Mint. View Designers Profile.

Coin Specifications:

Country:  Italy
Year Of Issue:  2015
Denomination:  10 Euro
Mint Mark:  R (Rome)
Mintage:  5,000
Alloy:  .925 Silver
Weight:  22 grams
Diameter:  34 mm
OBV Designer  Luciana De Simoni
REV Designer  U. Pernazza
Quality:  Proof

 

Keep up with all the latest coin releases from the world mints by clicking on CoinWeek’s World Coin Profiles Page.

CoinWeek IQ
CoinWeek IQ
With CoinWeek IQ, the editors and writers of CoinWeek dig deeper than the usual numismatic article. CoinWeek IQ provides collectors and numismatists with in-depth information, pedigree histories, and market analysis of U.S. coins and currency.

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