Italy - 1 Lire 1913 - Museum Gallery

October 2024

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Among the series of wonderful quadriga designs there was a 1 & 2 Lire struck with a thin laurel wreath surrounding the head of Vittorio Emanuele III. All can be scarcer except this 1913 which saw over 16 M struck. Original toning on this decent specimen. D. Calandra M. is shown on the obverse and reverse as designer. You'll see this referred to as the "Slow Quadriga" versus the later design shown for KM# 57, aka "Fast Quadriga."
OB: Half bust of King Vittorio Emanuele III in high uniform facing right, inside a circle adorned with leaves with the legend outside and the name of the engraver on the rim.
Legend: VITTORIO.EMANUELE.III.RE.D'ITALIA [D.CALANDRA M.] Translation: Vittorio Emanuele III King of Italy.
Rx: Italy standing on an adorned quadriga with a shield on her left hand and an olive branch in the right. The date is below the prancing legs of the horses; far below on the line of the exergue there is the name of the engraver. In the exergue, the value is flanked by two knots with the mintmark on left and the Star of Italy plus the name of the engraver at the right.
Legend: 1910 FERT D·CALANDRA M·R L.1 L·GIORGI INC·
Engraver: Davide Calandra
Compare a "Fast Quadriga" on this 2 Lire piece in the Moneta Museum at this: /showphoto.php?photo=1799&title=italy2-lire-2c-1916&cat=575