Moneta
Registered: August 2005
Location: Arizona USA
Posts: 2,365
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This design was struck in 10, 20, 50 & 100 Lire denominations, all of them very scarce. KM doesn't even illustrate the 10 Lire so I've done it here from a borrowed photo [Atlas]. The design is not by Romagnoli but by a much less prolific engraver by the name of Egidio Boninsegna. You can safely assume this is a figure of the personification of Italia standing with a plow and holding wheat. Legend above is REGNO D'ITALIA [Kingdom of Italy]. The obverse features a nice portrait of Vittorio Emanuele III in a military uniform, signifying the recent military stance taken in Europe and Africa as Italy wished to gain some imperial colonies like most other European countries of the time. They were a little late to the imperialist party however. The whole style series is very scarce to rare, this 1912 is by far the most attainable with only 6,796 struck.
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