Italy 50 Euro Gold Coin 2015 From Rococo to Macchiaioli

Italy 50 Euro Gold Coin 2015 From Rococo to Macchiaioli

Coins of the Italian Republic: Fauna in Art Series

Rococo is a style of architecture and decoration originating in France in the 18th century as an evolution from Baroque. Characterised by a triumph of decoration, Rococo successfully combined the delicacy of composition with the brilliance of colours.
The Macchiaioli, a group of Italian artists active in Tuscany in the second half of the 19th century, privilege an anti-academic pictorial style pursuing Verismo ideals and
abolishing the use of geometric lines and dots to emphasise chiaroscuro and spots of colour or “macchie” in Italian, hence the name.

Obverse: two of the dogs that savaged Atteone who had been turned into a deer: detail from the Fountain of Diana and Atteone in the Park of the Reggia di Caserta, work of Paolo Persico, Pietro Solari and Angelo Brunelli and example of Naples’ Rococo; below, the name of the designer “A. MASINI”; around, inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA” and dot decorated frame.

Reverse: rural scenery with a pair of oxen in front of a peasant seating on the floor: detail from the painting Il riposo by Giovanni Fattori, displayed at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan; above, “2015”; below, the value “50 EURO” followed by the letter “R” identifying the Mint of Rome; on the upper part of the coin, arch-shaped inscription “FAUNA NELL’ ARTE”; around, dot decorated frame.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 50 euro.
Metal:             gold.
Fineness:         legal 900 - tolerance ± 1‰.
Weight:          16.129 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter:        28 mm.
Finish:             proof.
Designer:        Annalisa Masini.
Mintage:         900.
Edge:             continuous milled.
Proof:             € 780.
Issue:             20/04/2015.

Rococo

Rococo, less commonly roccoco, or "Late Baroque", is an early to late French 18th-century artistic movement and style, affecting many aspects of the arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design, decoration, literature, music, and theatre. It developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction against the grandeur, symmetry, and strict regulations of the previous Baroque style, especially of the Palace of Versailles, until it was redone. Rococo artists and architects used a more jocular, florid, and graceful approach to the Baroque. Their style was ornate and used light colours, asymmetrical designs, curves, and gold. Unlike the political Baroque, the Rococo had playful and witty themes. The interior decoration of Rococo rooms was designed as a total work of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings.

  By the end of the 18th century, Rococo was largely replaced by the Neoclassic style. In 1835 the Dictionary of the French Academy stated that the word Rococo "usually covers the kind of ornament, style and design associated with Louis XV's reign and the beginning of that of Louis XVI". It includes therefore, all types of art from around the middle of the 18th century in France. The word is seen as a combination of the French rocaille (stone) and coquilles (shell), due to reliance on these objects as decorative motifs. The term may also be a combination of the Italian word "barocco" (an irregularly shaped pearl, possibly the source of the word "baroque") and the French "rocaille" (a popular form of garden or interior ornamentation using shells and pebbles) and may describe the refined and fanciful style that became fashionable in parts of Europe in the 18th century.

  The Rococo love of shell-like curves and focus on decorative arts led some critics to say that the style was frivolous or merely modish. When the term was first used in English in about 1836, it was a colloquialism meaning "old-fashioned". The style received harsh criticism and was seen by some to be superficial and of poor taste, especially when compared to neoclassicism; despite this, it has been praised for its aesthetic qualities, and since the mid-19th century, the term has been accepted by art historians. While there is still some debate about the historical significance of the style to art in general, Rococo is now widely recognized as a major period in the development of European art.

Macchiaioli

The Macchiaioli were a group of Italian painters active in Tuscany in the second half of the nineteenth century, who, breaking with the antiquated conventions taught by the Italian academies of art, did much of their painting outdoors in order to capture natural light, shade, and colour. This practice relates the Macchiaioli to the French Impressionists who came to prominence a few years later, although the Macchiaioli pursued somewhat different purposes. The most notable artists of this movement were Giuseppe Abbati, Cristiano Banti, Odoardo Borrani, Vincenzo Cabianca, Adriano Cecioni, Vito D'Ancona, Serafino De Tivoli, Giovanni Fattori, Raffaello Sernesi, Silvestro Lega and Telemaco Signorini.

Italy 50 Euro Gold Coin 2014 Baroque - Piazza della Minerva

Italy 50 Euro Gold Coin 2014 Baroque

Coins of the Italian Republic: Fauna in Art Series

Piazza della Minerva doubtless offers one of the most evocative sights of Rome; here Baroque is represented by one of its most extraordinary icons: the Elefantino, i.e. a small elephant, the famous sculpture made by Ercole Ferrata on a project by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, commissioned by Pope Alexander VII as an ideal structural and decorative base for the ancient Egyptian obelisk in pink granite.

Obverse: Piazza della Minerva, Rome. In the foreground an elephant carrying an ancient obelisk; all around, from left to right, the inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”; below, on the right, the name of the designer “V. DE SETA”; around, a dot decorated frame.

Reverse: The elephant of piazza della Minerva in Rome. It was sculpted as a base for the ancient obelisk which was uncovered under the convent annexed to the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva; all around, from left to right, the inscription “FAUNA NELL’ARTE”; in the field, the letter “R” and the year of issue “2014”; below, the value “50 EURO”; around, a dot decorated frame.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 50 euro.
Metal:            gold.
Fineness:        legal 900 - tolerance ± 1 ‰.
Weight:          16.129 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter:       28 mm.
Finish:            Proof.
Designer:       Valerio De Seta.
Mintage:        1500.
Edge:             continuous milled.
Proof:            € 780.
Issue:             25/03/2014.


Elephant and Obelisk
Elephant and Obelisk is a sculpture designed by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The elephant was probably executed by his assistant Ercole Ferrata; the Egyptian obelisk was uncovered during nearby excavations. It was unveiled in February 1667 in the Piazza della Minerva in Rome, adjacent to the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, where it stands today.
  The image possibly originated from the Hypnerotomachia Polyphili of 1499. Various preparatory drawings done by Bernini exist. One version in Windsor Castle, UK was probably done in the 1630s when Cardinal Francesco Barberini wished to place an Egyptian obelisk in front of his family palace, the Palazzo Barberini. Nothing came of this specific project, but Bernini revived the idea in the 1660s, when Pope Alexander VII, Fabio Chigi, wished to build a similar monument after another Egyptian obelisk had been discovered in Rome.
  Various other concepts were explored for this later commission as attested by preparatory drawings. It is likely that the drawings were used so that the patron could make a decision about which design he wanted. This include a drawing (in Leipzig) of the figure of Time holding a scythe and simultaneously the obelisk. In the Vatican Library there are two pen and ink drawings with other figures holding up the obelisk, including one of Hercules, and another with various allegorical figures supporting the spire. A third version in the Vatican Library shows Bernini adapting on the concept he created in the 1630s, although he added in a larger base, changed the direction of the elephant's orientation, and made its face appear more friendly than ferocious.
  It turned out to be the last commission Pope Alexander VII would ask of Bernini, as he died in May 1667. He was succeeded by Pope Clement IX.
  On 15 November 2016, Rome authorities announced they were searching for vandals who broke the left tusk the previous Sunday night and left the piece nearby. Mayor Virginia Raggi said that they will assess the damage to determine how to best reattach the fragment.
  The statue makes a brief but prominent appearance in the Italian neorealist film Umberto D. (1952)

Piazza della Minerva
Piazza della Minerva is a piazza in Rome, Italy, near the Pantheon. Its name derives from the existence of a temple built on the site by Pompey dedicated to Minerva Calcidica, whose statue is now in the Vatican Museums.

Facing this piazza are:
 - the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, centre of the square, already attested in the 8th century by the Anonymous of Einsiedeln by the name (ecclesia) "S. Mariae in Minervio". To the right of its facade are inscriptions built into the wall commemorating the flooding of the River Tiber between 1422 and 1598 - the area of the piazza is the lowest in Rome, and so was always the first to suffer in flooding.
 - A convent (or casa professa) of the Dominicans, who held the nearby church from the 13th century. This expanded over time to Via del Seminario and to the church of San Macuto, in the space formerly occupied by three Roman temples - the aforementioned Minervium, the Iseum, and the Serapeum. From the 17th century, the convent became the base of the Roman Inquisition or Holy Office, and it housed the trial and recantation of Galileo Galilei. Little remains of the Dominican complex except its cloister: This had been largely rebuilt from the original building, and expropriated by the state in 1870 as the seat of the Ministry of Public Education and for a short time the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. The cloister now holds the library of the Italian Senate, dedicated to Giovanni Spadolini.
 - At the centre of the piazza, backing onto the Inquisition convent, is the 1667 Elephant and Obelisk by Bernini. This obelisk was excavated in the cloister and came from the Iseum. The elephant was known as "il pulcin della Minerva", or "porcino", from the Roman people's story that - uninspired by elephants - Bernini in fact sculpted a pig.
 - To the right of the church stands the 16th century Palazzo Fonseca, since 1832 the site of one of the historic hotels of Rome, known as the Minerva, whose guests have included Stendhal and José de San Martín, remembered in plaques on the facade.
 - Opposite the church is the Palazzo dell'accademia ecclesiastica (the former Accademia dei nobili ecclesiastici), 14th century in origin but completely rebuilt in 1878. It is an academy that trains the diplomats of Vatican City.

Italy 50 Euro Gold Coin 2013 Renaissance

Italy 50 Euro Gold Coin 2013 Renaissance

Coins of the Italian Republic: Fauna in Art Series

The spirit of the art and history of Renaissance is perfectly represented on the coin dedicated to Fauna in art, that depicts the marzocco, a lion symbol of the power of people in the Republic of Florence, drawn from a sculpture by Donatello, and a fierce horse advancing with Gianfrancesco Gonzaga, first marquis of Mantova, equestrian scene inspired to a medal by Pisanello.

Obverse: the marzocco, a lion holding with its right forefoot a shield with the lily of Florence, symbol of republican liberty, from a sculpture realised by Donatello nowadays conserved at the Museo del Bargello in Florence. Around, left to right, “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”; below, heraldic lily, symbol of the city; all encased in a dot-decorated frame.

Reverse: drawn from a medal realised by Antonio di Puccio, called Pisanello, probably in 1447, Gianfrancesco Gonzaga, first marquis of Mantova (1432-1444), advances on a horse with the typical forms of the art of Pisanello. Around, on the left, “FAUNA NELL’ARTE”; on the right, on two lines, “50 EURO”; below “R”; on the bottom, on two lines, “2013”, “V. DE SETA”; all encased in a dot-decorated frame.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Denomination: 50 euro.
Metal:       gold.
Fineness:  legal 900 - tolerance ± 1 ‰.
Weight:    16,129 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 28 mm.
Finish:      proof.
Designer: Valerio De Seta.
Mintage:  1500.
Edge: continuous milled.
Proof:      € 853.


Gianfrancesco Gonzaga medal by Pisanello (1439)
Pisanello invented this type of portrait medal. The profile portrait of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga is identified by the Latin inscription which also alludes to his military prowess. On the reverse he is depicted on horseback and in armour. Pisanello was probably inspired by examples of Ancient Roman coins excavated and collected in Italy. He had trained as a goldsmith and so was familiar with modelling and casting. The drawn design, once approved by the patron, was translated into a wax model from which the metal medal was cast. The quality and refinement of Pisanello's technique set the standard for subsequent medal production.

Gianfrancesco I Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua
Gianfrancesco I Gonzaga (1395 – 23 September 1444) was Marquess of Mantua from 1407 to 1444. He was also a condottiero.
  Gianfrancesco was the son of Francesco I Gonzaga and Margherita Malatesta. He inherited the rule of Mantua in 1407, when he was 12. In his first years, he was under the patronage of his uncle Carlo Malatesta and, indirectly, of the Republic of Venice. In 1409 he married Paola Malatesta, daughter of Malatesta IV Malatesta of Pesaro, by whom he had two sons, Ludovico, who succeeded him as Marquess of Mantua, and Carlo. He was the first Gonzaga to bear the title of marquess, which he obtained from Emperor Sigismund on 22 September 1433.
  He fought for the Papal States and the Malatestas in 1412 and 1417, respectively, and was capitano generale (commander-in-chief) of the Venetian Armies from 1434. Later he left the alliance with Venice and entered at the service of the Visconti of Milan, starting an unsuccessful war against Venice which caused the loss of several Mantuan territories.
  During his reign the famous humanist Vittorino da Feltre was invited to Mantua, as well as numerous artists like Pisanello and others, starting the traditional role of the city as a capital of Italian Renaissance. He founded the first workshop in Italy for the manufacture of tapestries.

Pisanello
Pisanello (c. 1395 – c. 1455), known professionally as Antonio di Puccio Pisano or Antonio di Puccio da Cereto, also erroneously called Vittore Pisano by Giorgio Vasari, was one of the most distinguished painters of the early Italian Renaissance and Quattrocento. He was acclaimed by poets such as Guarino da Verona and praised by humanists of his time who compared him to such illustrious names as Cimabue, Phidias and Praxiteles.
  Pisanello is known for his resplendent frescoes in large murals, elegant portraits, small easel pictures, and many brilliant drawings. He is the most important commemorative portrait medallist in the first half of the 15th century, and can claim to have originated this important genre.
  He was employed by the Doge of Venice, the Pope in the Vatican and the courts of Verona, Ferrara, Mantua, Milan, Rimini, and by the King of Naples. He stood in high esteem of the Gonzaga and Este families.
  Pisanello had many of his works wrongly ascribed to other artists such as Piero della Francesca, Albrecht Dürer and Leonardo da Vinci, to name a few. While most of his paintings have perished, a good many of his drawings and medals have survived.

Italy 20 Euro Gold Coin 2015 Neoclassicism

Italy 20 Euro Gold Coin 2015 Neoclassicism

Coins of the Italian Republic: Flora in Art Series

Flourished between the second half of the 18th century and the first thirty years of the 19th century, Neoclassicism is a European cultural movement whose main feature is a return to classical forms which was inspired by the aesthetic ideals of Greek, as well as Roman and Egyptian culture. Neoclassicism affected all aspects of art, thus contributing to a deep social and cultural renewal and representing a trait-d’union between Enlightenment and Romanticism.

Obverse: Bust of Flora in front view with light drapery, head in profile reclined to the right and crowned with roses; wax model for a cameo created by Benedetto Pistrucci (1784-1855) and conserved at the Museum of the Mint of Rome; around, inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA” and dot decorated frame.

Reverse: Diana bathing between two nymphs in a scenery with rocks and a tree; detail from the wax model Diana and Atteone by Benedetto Pistrucci conserved at the Museum of the Mint of Rome; on the left, the year of the coin’s issue “2015” and the value “20 EURO”; below, name of the designer “V. DE SETA” and the letter “R” identifying the Mint of Rome; around, inscription “FLORA NELL’ ARTE” and dot decorated frame.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 20 euro.
Metal:      gold.
Fineness:  legal 900 - tolerance ± 1‰.
Weight:    6.451 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 21 mm.
Finish:      proof.
Designer: Valerio De Seta.
Mintage: 1200.
Edge: continuous milled.
Proof:     € 330.
Issue: 20/04/2015.

Italy 20 Euro Gold Coin 2014 Baroque

Italy 20 Euro Gold Coin 2014 Baroque

Coins of the Italian Republic: Flora in Art series

In the 17th century, Rome became the world capital of Baroque, masterfully interpreted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who “dressed up” the city with his masterpieces.
  His sculpture representing the metamorphosis of Daphne in a laurel tree is one of the most extraordinary icons of Baroque art, echoed by details of the imposing facade of the Galleria Borghese and of the decorations that adorned the Fontana dei Mascheroni e Tritoni in the Giardino del Lago of Villa Borghese.

Obverse: detail of the facade of the Galleria Borghese in Rome; above, detail of the Fontana dei Mascheroni e dei Tritoni in Villa Borghese; in the field, on a line, and on the bottom, round, the related inscriptions “REPUBBLICA” e “ITALIANA”; around, dot decorated frame.

Reverse: Daphne transforming in a laurel tree: detail of the group Apollo e Dafne by Gian Lorenzo Bernini conserved at the Galleria Borghese in Rome; round, left to right, the inscription “FLORA NELL’ARTE”; in the right field the value “20 EURO”, in the left one, the year of issue “2014” bottom, signature of the artist “A. MASINI”; around, dot decorated frame.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 20 euro.
Metal:     gold.
Fineness: legal 900 - tolerance ± 1 ‰.
Weight:   6.451 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 21 mm.
Finish:     Proof.
Designer: Annalisa Masini.
Mintage: 1500.
Edge:     continuous milled.
Proof:     € 330.
Issue: 25/03/2014.

Italy 20 Euro Gold Coin 2013 Renaissance

Italy 20 Euro Gold Coin 2013 Renaissance

Coins of the Italian Republic: Flora in Art Series

Flora, the goddess of flowers and the season of spring.

The coin dedicated to Flora in Art focuses on Florence as icon of the Renaissance, cultural and artistic movement, which had its origin in the Tuscan city between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Age, exerting a great influence upon society, culture and particularly on the figurative arts. The lily, typical symbol of Florence, and a detail from the Spring by Botticelli, depicting Flora, the personification of spring itself, are the representative figurative elements.

Obverse: the lily of Florence on a goods bale; around, a wreath of leaves, flowers and fruit, copy of the arms of the Tribunale della Mercanzia (Court of Goods), from a glazed faience of the 15th century by Luca della Robbia; around, between the wreath and the lily, “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”; all encased in a dot-decorated frame.

Reverse: wreaths of flowers and leaves decorate the Spring of the homonymous painting by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510), conserved at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence; around, from left to right, “FLORA NELL’ARTE”; on the left side, on two lines “20 EURO”, “R” and “A. MASINI”; below, “2013”; all encased in a dotdecorated frame.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Denomination: 20 euro.
Metal: gold.
Fineness: legal 900 - tolerance ± 1 ‰.
Weight: 6.451 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 21 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Annalisa Masini.
Mintage: 1500.
Edge: continuous milled.
Proof: € 366.


Primavera or Allegory of Spring by Sandro Botticelli
Primavera, also known as Allegory of Spring, is a tempera panel painting by Italian Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Painted ca. 1482, the painting is described in Culture & Values (2009) as "one of the most popular paintings in Western art". It is also, according to Botticelli, Primavera (1998), "one of the most written about, and most controversial paintings in the world."
  Most critics agree that the painting, depicting a group of mythological figures in a garden, is allegorical for the lush growth of Spring. Other meanings have also been explored. Among them, the work is sometimes cited as illustrating the ideal of Neoplatonic love. The painting itself carries no title and was first called La Primavera by the art historian Giorgio Vasari who saw it at Villa Castello, just outside Florence, in 1550.
  The history of the painting is not certainly known, though it seems to have been commissioned by one of the Medici family. It contains references to the Roman poets Ovid and Lucretius, and may also reference a poem by Poliziano. Since 1919 the painting has been part of the collection of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.

Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period in European history, from the 14th to the 17th century, regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history. It started as a cultural movement in Italy in the Late Medieval period and later spread to the rest of Europe, marking the beginning of the Early Modern Age.
  The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was its own invented version of humanism, derived from the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy, such as that of Protagoras, who said that "Man is the measure of all things." This new thinking became manifest in art, architecture, politics, science and literature. Early examples were the development of perspective in oil painting and the recycled knowledge of how to make concrete. Although the invention of metal movable type sped the dissemination of ideas from the later 15th century, the changes of the Renaissance were not uniformly experienced across Europe.
  As a cultural movement, the Renaissance encompassed innovative flowering of Latin and vernacular literatures, beginning with the 14th-century resurgence of learning based on classical sources, which contemporaries credited to Petrarch; the development of linear perspective and other techniques of rendering a more natural reality in painting; and gradual but widespread educational reform. In politics, the Renaissance contributed to the development of the customs and conventions of diplomacy, and in science to an increased reliance on observation and inductive reasoning. Although the Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits, as well as social and political upheaval, it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term "Renaissance man".
  The Renaissance began in Florence, in the 14th century. Various theories have been proposed to account for its origins and characteristics, focusing on a variety of factors including the social and civic peculiarities of Florence at the time: its political structure; the patronage of its dominant family, the Medici; and the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy following the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. Other major centres were northern Italian city-states such as Venice, Genoa, Milan, Bologna, and finally Rome during the Renaissance Papacy.
  The Renaissance has a long and complex historiography, and, in line with general scepticism of discrete periodizations, there has been much debate among historians reacting to the 19th-century glorification of the "Renaissance" and individual culture heroes as "Renaissance men", questioning the usefulness of Renaissance as a term and as a historical delineation. The art historian Erwin Panofsky observed of this resistance to the concept of "Renaissance":

  It is perhaps no accident that the factuality of the Italian Renaissance has been most vigorously questioned by those who are not obliged to take a professional interest in the aesthetic aspects of civilization—historians of economic and social developments, political and religious situations, and, most particularly, natural science—but only exceptionally by students of literature and hardly ever by historians of Art.

  Some observers have called into question whether the Renaissance was a cultural "advance" from the Middle Ages, instead seeing it as a period of pessimism and nostalgia for classical antiquity, while social and economic historians, especially of the longue durée, have instead focused on the continuity between the two eras, which are linked, as Panofsky observed, "by a thousand ties".
  The word Renaissance, literally meaning "Rebirth" in French, first appeared in English in the 1830s. The word also occurs in Jules Michelet's 1855 work, Histoire de France. The word Renaissance has also been extended to other historical and cultural movements, such as the Carolingian Renaissance and the Renaissance of the 12th century.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2015 Riace Bronzes, Calabria

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2015 Riace Bronzes, Calabria

Coins of the Italian Republic: Italy of Arts Series

Discovered on the 16th August 1972 eight meters underwater and some 200 metres off the coast of Riace Marina, a municipality of Reggio Calabria, the Riace Bronzes are among the most representative icons of ancient Greek art.
According to recent historic-archaeological researches, the two superb statues date back to the 5th century B.C. and they are now conserved at the National Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria.

Obverse: bearded head in three-quarter view facing left, a band holding his flowing hair: detail from the “statue A”, a Greek bronze sculpture from the 5th century B.C. found on 16th August 1972 in the sea in front of Riace Marina, on the Ionian coast of Calabria, and now on display at the National Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria; below the head, name of the designer “CASSOL”; round, decorating, classically inspired frame and all around, inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA” separated by a star.

Reverse: bearded head facing right and showing trace of a now-lost helmet: detail from the “statue B”, a Greek bronze sculpture from the 5th century B.C. found on 16th August 1972 in the sea in front of Riace Marina, on the Ionian coast of Calabria, and now on display at the National Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria; on the left, the letter “R” identifying the Mint of Rome, the value “10 EURO” and the year of the coin’s issue “2015”; arch-shaped inscription “ITALIA DELLE ARTI”; at the base of the head, inscription “RIACE”; around, decorating, classically inspired frame.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Maria Angela Cassol.
Mintage: 4000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 60.
Issue: 22/09/2015.


Riace bronzes
The Riace bronzes (Italian Bronzi di Riace), also called the Riace Warriors, are two full-size Greek bronzes of naked bearded warriors, cast about 460–450 BC that were found in the sea near Riace in 1972. The bronzes are currently located at the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the southern Italian city of Reggio Calabria, Italy.
  They are two of the few surviving full-size ancient Greek bronzes (which were usually melted down in later times), and as such demonstrate the superb technical craftsmanship and exquisite artistic features that were achieved at this time.
  The bronzes are on display inside a microclimate room on top of an anti-seismic Carrara marbled platform. Along with the bronzes, the room also contains two head sculptures: “la Testa del Filosofo” and “la Testa di Basilea”, which are also from the 5th century BC.
  Although the bronzes were rediscovered in 1972, they did not emerge from conservation until 1981. Their public display in Florence and Rome was the cultural event of that year in Italy, providing the cover story for numerous magazines. Now considered one of the symbols of Calabria, the bronzes were commemorated by a pair of Italian postage stamps and have also been widely reproduced.
  The two bronze sculptures are simply known as “Statue A”, referring to the one portraying a younger warrior, and “Statue B”, indicating the more mature-looking of the two. Statue A is 203 centimetres tall while Statue B stands 196.5 centimetres tall.

Discovery
Stefano Mariottini, then a chemist from Rome, chanced upon the bronzes while snorkeling near the end of a vacation at Monasterace. While diving some 200 metres from the coast of Riace, at a depth of six to eight metres, Mariottini noticed the left arm of statue A emerging from the sand. At first he thought he had found a dead human body, but on touching the arm he realized it was a bronze arm. Mariottini began to push the sand away from the rest of statue A. Later, he noticed the presence of another bronze nearby and decided to call the police. One week later, on August 21, statue B was taken out of the water, and two days after that it was the turn of statue A. No associated wreck site has been identified, but in the immediate locality, which is a subsiding coast, architectural remains have also been found.
  The bronzes and the story of their discovery were featured in the first episode of the 2005 BBC television documentary series How Art Made the World, which included an interview with Stefano Mariottini.

History and Origin
The most popular theory is that two separate Greek artists created the bronzes about 30 years apart around the 5th century BC. “Statue A” was probably created between the years 460 and 450 BC, and “Statue B” between 430 and 420 BC. Some believe that “Statue A” was the work of Myron, and that a pupil of Phidias, called Alkamenes, created “Statue B”. Statue A portrays a young warrior hero or god with a proud look, conscious of his own beauty and power. Statue B, on the other hand, portrays an older more mature warrior hero with a relaxed pose and a kind and gentle gaze.
  The Riace bronzes are major additions to the surviving examples of ancient Greek sculpture. They belong to a transitional period from archaic Greek sculpture to the early Classical style, disguising their idealized geometry and impossible anatomy under a distracting and alluring "realistic" surface. They are fine examples of contrapposto - their weight is on the back legs, making them much more realistic than with many other Archaic stances. Their musculature is clear, yet not incised, and looks soft enough to be visible and realistic. The bronzes' turned heads not only confer movement, but also add life to the figures. The asymmetrical layout of their arms and legs adds realism to them. Archeologists believed that Statue A’s eyes were made of ivory, but researchers have found no organic material present in the eyes during a recent restoration analysis. Instead, the statues' eyeballs are formed of calcite, while their teeth are made with silver. Their lips and nipples are made of copper. At one time, they held spears and shields, but those have not been found. Additionally, Warrior B once wore a helmet pushed up over his head, and it is thought that Warrior A may have worn a wreath over his.
  It is not impossible that the statues were on their way to a local destination. Further explorations undertaken in 2004 by a joint Italian-American team of archaeologists identified the foundations of an Ionic temple on this slowly subsiding coast. Undersea explorations by robotic vehicles along the submerged coastline from Locri to Soverato are providing a more detailed picture of this coast in Antiquity, although no further bronzes comparable to those of Riace have been found.
  Attributions of such spectacular works of art to famous sculptors have followed traditional lines: "all the 'big' names of Classical times have been proposed in this connection", Brunilde Sismondo Ridgeway writes, noting that she finds it encouraging that at least a few scholars are willing to consider a non-Attic, even a 'colonial' workshop of origin, as contrasted with "the dominant Athenocentrism of previous years."
  While it is certain that the bronzes are original works of the highest quality, it has also been argued that their torsos have been produced from a single model, which was then altered with direct modifications to the wax before casting, so that they may be seen as types.

Mythology
There is no clear testimony in ancient literature to identify the athletes or heroes depicted by the bronzes. It seems that the two nudes originally formed part of a votive group in a large sanctuary. It is conjectured that the bronze sculptures may represent Tydeus and Amphiaraus respectively, two warriors from the Seven Against Thebes monumental group in the polis of Argos, as Pausanias noted. However, they may also be Athenian warriors from Delphi, part of the monument to the Battle of Marathon, or they may come from Olympia. Argos, Delphi and Olympia were three prominent Greek sites for dedicated sculpture of the highest quality, and all three were vulnerable to official plundering following the Roman occupation. Perhaps the bronzes were being transported to Rome as booty when a storm overtook their ship, although no evidence of a wreck has been found. Salvatore Settis and Vinzenz Brinkmann identify the warriors as Erechtheus, son of Athena, and Eumolpos, son of Poseidon.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2015 Centenary of World War I 1915 - 2015

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2015 Centenary of World War I 1915 - 2015

A hundred years ago, on May 24, 1915, Italy entered World War I that tragically involved twenty-eight Countries and inexorably changed their destiny.
The defeat of Caporetto was the most difficult moment for Italy, but the Italian resistance on the Piave front represented its revenge. A coin now rekindles its historical memory to foster peace.

Obverse: bust in front view representing Italy in a melancholic attitude, her head wrapped with a band and a five-pointed star, a work inspired by the Vittoria Alata sculpted by Cesare Busnelli for the War Memorial of Meda; circumscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”; around, garland of olive branches on the left and of oak branches on the right, symbolizing strength and glory; at the base of the bust, the year of issue “2015” and name of the designer “L. DE SIMONI”.

Reverse: the sculptural group Sacrifice created by Leonardo Bistolfi for the monument erected in Rome in honour of Victor Emmanuel II. The sculpture represents a dying hero supported by a man unchained by his sacrifice, who is being kissed by a feminine figure embodying Liberty and Family; on the left, the value “EURO 10”; at the base of the sculpture, inscription “CENTENARIO PRIMA GUERRA MONDIALE” and name of the designer “U. PERNAZZA”; on the right, the letter “R” identifying the Mint of Rome.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Luciana De Simoni and Uliana Pernazza.
Mintage: 5000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 60.
Issue: 05/05/2015.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2015 70 Years of Peace in Europe

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2015 70 Years of Peace in Europe

Coins of the Italian Republic: Europe Star Programme Series

1945 marks the end of World War II, a global event causing a deep and still open wound in the heart of Europe, which was left devastated by racial laws, extermination camps and genocide. For the past seventy years the European Union has represented a secure stronghold of democracy and human rights, thus being awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize 2012.

Obverse: a dove, symbol of peace, is held by a feminine figure, an allegory of Europe, with the number “70” standing for the anniversary of peace, and the stars of the European Union in her hair; an olive branch bordering the logo of the Europe Star Programme completes the representation; arch shaped inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA” followed by the name of the designer “COLANERI”.

Reverse: Peace, half reclining in three-quarter view, with an olive branch in her left hand: detail from the fresco painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti on the subject of the Good Government for the Sala dei Nove of the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena; on the right, a stylized dove and the stars of the European Union; above, the value “10 EURO”; on the left, the letter “R” identifying the Mint of Rome, and the dates “1945 2015”, i.e. the year of the anniversary and that of the coin’s issue respectively; below, arch-shaped inscription “70 ANNI DI PACE IN EUROPA”.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: argento / silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Maria Carmela Colaneri.
Mintage: 6000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 60.
Issue: 20/04/2015.

Coins of the Italian Republic: Europe Star Programme Series

The Europe Star Programme is a voluntary, common initiative of the issuing authorities of EU member countries. Since 2004, many countries have participated in the programme and issued legal tender coins in precious metals, dedicated to a common subject celebrating European identity. Last year, for the European composers series, Italy dedicated a coin to Gioacchino Rossini.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Atri, Abruzzo

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Atri, Abruzzo

Coins of the Italian Republic: Italy of Arts Series

Delightful art town stretching out between the Gran Sasso and the Adriatic Sea, Atri can boast age-old origins which its picturesque historical centre still keeps excellently alive with wonderful monuments and a maze of streets lost in a Medieval atmosphere. Among all these monuments, the 13th century extraordinary Cathedral stands out with its simple and austere façade and the valuable choir frescos by Andrea Delitio.

Obverse: the 13th century Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Atri, with its façade decorated with a rosette and a rich Gothic portal, with a bell tower crowned by a cuspidal octagon; below, detail from a bas-relief of the Cathedral; around, from left to right, the inscription “REPUBBLICA” and “ITALIANA”; in the right field, from the bottom upwards, the name of the artist “PETRASSI”; in exergue the year of the coin’s issue “2014”; around, a linear circle.

Reverse: detail from the bas-relief of the 15th century by Andrea Delitio depicting the martyr Saint Reparata holding the scale model of the town of Atri; in the right field, a decorative detail from a bas-relief of the Cathedral; around, from left to right, the inscription “ITALIA DELLE ARTI”; in the field, on three lines, “R” and the value “EURO 10”; around, below, on the left, “ATRI”; around, a linear circle.

Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Specifications
denomination: 10 Euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Silvia Petrassi.
Mintage: 5000 pcs.
Price € 60.
Issue 29/07/2014.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 100 Anniversary of the foundation of CONI

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 100 Anniversary of the foundation of CONI

Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano - CONI, the Italian National Olympic Committee, is part of the International Olympic Committee and was founded in Rome on June 9 and 10 1914 with the aim of managing and developing sports, as well as promoting their widest spread at all levels. CONI’s history is inseparably tied up with our Nation’s and studded with a great number of international and Olympic victories.

Obverse: the Vittoria Olimpica (Olympic Victory), sculpture by Emilio Greco displayed at the Palazzo del CONI in Rome; on the left the official logo of CONI; all around the inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”; around, linear circle.

Reverse: the Discobolus of Myron, Greek sculpture of the 5th century B.C.; all around the inscription “COMITATO OLIMPICO NAZIONALE ITALIANO”; in the left field the letter “R” and the dates “1914 - 2014”, i.e. the year of foundation and that of the coin’s issue respectively; in the right field the denomination “10 EURO” and the name of the artist “MOMONI”; around, linear circle.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: Proof.
Designer: Claudia Momoni.
Mintage: 5000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 60.
Issue: 07/05/2014.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Bimillenary of the death of Augustus

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Bimillenary of the death of Augustus 14 - 2014

Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus was honoured with the title of Augustus in 27 B.C. He has been the first and greatest emperor of Rome that achieved its largest territorial extent under his guidance. His long reign was distinguished by the Pax Augustea (Augustus’ peace), a peaceful and prosperous period that encouraged the flourishing of arts and culture. A capable strategist, state organiser, legislator and a conqueror, Augustus was also a fine and elegant writer who left a deep mark in Roman history and culture.

Obverse: veiled bust of Augustus: detail from the marble statue of the emperor found in via Labicana, Rome and conserved at the Museo Nazionale Romano - Palazzo Massimo alle Terme in Rome; on the left “m”, initial of the designer Roberto Mauri; around, the inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA” within a linear circle.

Reverse: detail from the friezes adorning the base of the Ara Pacis Augustae in Rome; above, from left to right, the arch shaped inscription “BIMILLENARIO AUGUSTEO”; in the upper field, on two lines, the dates “14 - 2014”, i.e. the year of Augustus’ death and that of the coin’s issue respectively, as well as the denomination “10 EURO”; below, the letter “R”; around, a linear circle.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: argento / silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: Proof.
Designer: Roberto Mauri.
Mintage: 5000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 60.
Issue: 15/04/2014.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Gioachino Rossini

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Gioachino Rossini

Coins of the Italian Republic: Europe Star Programme - European Composers series

Together with Verdi and Puccini, Gioacchino Rossini is a protagonist of the musical scenario of early 19th century, and one of the most important Italian composers, well-known worldwide for masterpieces, like Il barbiere di Siviglia, La gazza ladra and Guglielmo Tell. As a precocious artist, Rossini composed his first opera at the age of fourteen and made his official debut on the scenes when he was just eighteen. He composed farces, comedies, tragedies and comic operas; his musical genius gave the melodrama a unique and original imprint, leaving a heritage of musical and theatrical language which is still new and up-to-date even more than a century and a half later.

Obverse: bust of Gioacchino Rossini from a marble sculpture by an unknown artist conserved at the Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica of Bologna; on the bust, signature of the composer from Pesaro; below, the name of the artist “U. PERNAZZA”; around, the inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”.

Reverse: inside view of the Rossini theatre in Pesaro, with a magpie on the wing holding a necklace in its beak, an allegory of the opera La gazza ladra; on the right, the first notes of the Maestoso Marciale from this opera; above, the Europe Star Programme logo; below the issuing year “2014”, the letter “R” and the denomination “10 EURO”; around, a linear circle.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: Proof.
Designer: Uliana Pernazza.
Mintage: 6500.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 60.
Issue: 17/03/2014.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2013 Fenis Castle - Valle d'Aosta

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2013 Fenis Castle - Valle d'Aosta

Coins of the Italian Republic: Italy of Arts Series

The Castle of Fénis, one of the symbols of feudal and Medieval Valle d’Aosta, is situated on the top of a small knoll and, despite its impressive defensive structure, it was not built for military purposes, but to serve only as a prestigious residence for the Challant family. Its many towers very well merge with the pentagonal layout of the castle and its double defensive walls. The loggia overlooking the internal courtyard, as well as the chapel, are both decorated with valuable frescoes dating back to the 15th century and bring with them a special appeal.

Obverse: Castle of Fénis; around, REPUBBLICA ITALIANA; in exergue “FENIS”, “COLANERI”.

Reverse: fresco depicting Saint George and the drake, situated on the background of the great staircase in the internal yard of the Castle of Fénis; around “ITALIA”, “DELLE ARTI”; in the central part “2013”, “R”; below right “10 EURO”.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Maria Carmela Colaneri.
Mintage: 7,000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 64,45.
Issue: 6/11/2013.

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2013 Luigi Pirandello

Italy 10 Euro Silver Coin 2013 Luigi Pirandello

Coins of the Italian Republic: Europe Star Programme - European Writers

Luigi Pirandello, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature 1934 “for his bold and ingenious revival of dramatic and scenic art”, completely transformed the theatre of the 20th century, becoming one of the greatest dramatists of history and protagonists of the Italian culture. The author’s portrait engraved on the obverse is echoed on the reverse by one of the “telamoni” of the temple of Zeus Olympus, in the Valle dei Templi, which is not only a symbol of Agrigento and of Sicily as a whole, but also the author’s hometown and source of inspiration for many of his plays.

Obverse: bust of Luigi Pirandello in three quarter view facing left; on the left “U. PERNAZZA”; around on the right “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”.

Reverse: in the foreground one of the “telamoni” of the temple of Zeus Olympus in Agrigento; on the background, curtain; below, Luigi Pirandello’s signature; in exergue, logo of Europe Star Programme “10 EURO”, “2013”, “R”.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Denomination: 10 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 22 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 34 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Uliana Pernazza.
Mintage: 9000.
Edge: discontinuous coarse milled.

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2015 Centenary of the Earthquake of Avezzano 1915 - 2015

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2015 Centenary of the Earthquake of Avezzano 1915 - 2015

On January 13, 1915 at 7:53 a.m. a terrible earthquake struck Marsica and Avezzano, its most densely populated town, was razed to the ground.
As to the extent of the earthquake-stricken zone and to the number of victims, wounded, homeless and residential areas involved, this tragic natural disaster doubtless represents one of the most violent and catastrophic seismic events in Italian history.

Obverse: the Church of St. Bartolomeo in Piazza del Risorgimento in Avezzano, rebuilt after the severe earthquake in 1915; in exergue, “AVEZZANO” and the name of the designer “COLANERI”; above, arch-shaped inscription “REPUBBLICA • ITALIANA”.

Reverse: above, vintage view of the Marsica with the Fucino Lake and the town of Avezzano; in the centre, remains of the Church of San Bartolomeo destroyed by the earthquake of 1915; below, the image is bordered by a seismogram and the record of seismic waves; on the left, the value “5 EURO”; above, on the right, the letter “R” identifying the Mint of Rome; below “1915 2015”, i.e. the year of the anniversary and that of the coin’s issue respectively.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 5 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3‰.
Weight: 18 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 32 mm.
Designer: Maria Carmela Colaneri.
Mintage: 5000.
Edge: continuous coarse milled.
€ 40.
Issue: 20/04/2015.

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Villa Lante in Bagnaia

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Villa Lante in Bagnaia

Coins of the Italian Republic: Historical Villas and Gardens Series

Villa Lante della Rovere in Bagnaia can boast one of the most famous Italian Mannerist gardens of surprise of the 16th century, which was awarded in 2011 as the “Most beautiful park of Italy”. The wonderful Villa was built between 1511 and 1566 by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and consists of two nearly identical casini
(houses), marvellous gardens and fountains with amazing water effects.

Obverse: Villa Lante in Bagnaia (Viterbo), built after a design by Vignola: detail from the Peschiera Fountain with two of the four Moors holding the heraldic symbols of the family Peretti Montalti; below, the name of the designer “COLANERI”; around, the inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”

Reverse: in the foreground, architectural details from the water chain of the Peschiera Fountain stand out in a perspective view of the two buildings Peretti Montalti and Gambara; in the centre, the value “5 EURO”; on both sides, left and right respectively, the letter “R” and the year of the coin’s issue “2014”; around, above and below, the inscription “BAGNAIA VILLA LANTE”.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 5 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 18 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 32 mm.
Finish: Proof.
Designer: Maria Carmela Colaneri.
Mintage: 5000.
Edge: continuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 50.
Issue: 30/09/2014.

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Abbey of San Fruttuoso, Liguria

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Abbey of San Fruttuoso, Liguria

Coins of the Italian Republic: Italy of Arts Series

The first official documents regarding the ancient Abbey of San Fruttuoso date back to 984 A.D., but its origins fade into history and legend. This evocative religious building is embedded in the Golfo Paradiso, within the Regional Natural Park of Portofino, and it can be reached only on foot or by sea. Since 1983 the Abbey of San Fruttuoso is part of the properties of FAI, the Italian National Trust that takes care of its cultural and environmental heritage.

Obverse: the 10th-11th century Abbey of San Fruttuoso in Camogli (Genoa) seen from the sea; above, around, the inscription “REPUBBLICA” and, in exergue, the inscription “ITALIANA” and the bullet “◆”; in the right field, the initials of the designer Maria Grazia Urbani “MGU”; around, a linear circle.

Reverse: detail from the lower cloister of the Abbey of San Fruttuoso; around, above, the inscription “◆ SAN FRUTTUOSO ◆”; below, the legend “ITALIA DELLE ARTI”; in the right field, the letter “R”; below, the year of the coin’s issue “2014”; in the left field, the value “5 EURO”; around, a linear circle.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 5 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 18 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 32 mm.
Finish: Proof.
Designer: Maria Grazia Urbani.
Mintage: 5000.
Edge: continuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 50.
Issue: 04/11/2014.

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Semester of Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2014 Semester of Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

As from July 1, 2014 and throughout the following six months Italy will take the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the institution that represents the governments of all the member States. Here the ministers from each EU country meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. During the Italian Presidency, our Country will be chairing meetings at any level, submitting guidelines and drawing up the compromises needed by the Council to take decisions.

Obverse: Bust of Ceres, as an allegory of Italy, drawn from the fresco Venus, Juno and Ceres painted by the school of Raffaello Sanzio after drawings in the maestro’s hand for the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche of Villa Farnesina in Rome; around, the inscription “REPUBBLICA ITALIANA”; in the left field, the name of the artist ”A. MASINI”.

Reverse: detail from the Abduction of Europa by Veronese displayed at the Capitoline Picture Gallery in Rome; around, the twelve stars of the European Union and the inscription “PRESIDENZA ITALIANA CONSIGLIO UNIONE EUROPEA”; in the right field, the value “5 EURO”, the letter “R” and the year of the coin’s issue “2014”.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination: 5 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 18 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 32 mm.
Finish: S.U.
Designer: Annalisa Masini.
Mintage: 5000.
€ 40
Issue: 24/06/2014.
Edge: continuous coarse milled. 

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2013 Selinunte, Sicily

Italy 5 Euro Silver Coin 2013 Selinunte - Sicily

Coins of the Italian Republic: Italy of Arts Series

Situated on a calcareous plateau overhanging the Mediterranean Sea, the ancient Greek city of Selinunte was supposedly founded in 650 b.C. and reached its highest magnificence in the 6th and 5th centuries b.C. This archaeological jewel has been destroyed and rebuilt by the Carthaginians.
Its only remains are magnificent architectures, like the Temple of Hera and remarkable examples of fine arts, such as the wonderful metopes.

Obverse: Temple “E” of Selinunte, dedicated to Hera, (5th Century b.C.); around “REPUBBLICA”; in exergue “ITALIANA”; below, “A. MASINI” between two details from the reverse of an incuse coin; around, beading.
Reverse: metope detail of temple “C” of Selinunte, with the myth of Perseus and the Medusa dated 5th Century b.C. (Palermo, Regional Archaeological Museum); above, “R”; around “ITALIA DELLE ARTI”; centre left, detail from the reverse of an incuse coin; right, “2013”; in exergue, “SELINUNTE”, “5 EURO”; around, beading.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Denomination: 5 euro.
Metal: silver.
Fineness: legal 925 - tolerance ± 3 ‰.
Weight: 18 g - tolerance ± 5 ‰.
Diameter: 32 mm.
Finish: proof.
Designer: Annalisa Masini.
Mintage: 7000.
Edge: continuous coarse milled.
Proof: € 55,41.
Issue: 6/11/2013.