For almost 20 years, the Lira has been supplanted by the euro, which has become the official currency of our country, and in many others in Europe since 2002. Despite this, the “old coin” is still a cause for nostalgia for people. which have linked numerous memories of youth and childhood to the lira.
After almost two decades of “habit”, the European population, as well as the Italian one, has long since adapted to the currency, to the point that the new generations who were born in the new millennium have usually heard little about the lira, which appears as a sort of a legacy from the past. Like any historical coinage, even the lira can be very interesting in the field of collecting and keeps intact the charm of its coins and banknotes, where there are some “famous names”, such as the 500 silver lire, made in the 1950s and ‘ 60.
The 500 lire argento
The first coin version of the 500 lire, well before that bimetallica (widespread since the 80s) is commonly called Caravelle, produced by the Italian mint from 1958 until 1967, i.e. in the period known as economic boom and today it is quite widespread: recognizable by the three caravels depicted on one side, and a female representation surrounded by 19 symbols (representing the provincial capitals of Italy at the time) on the other, today it has a decidedly variable evaluation in terms economic which is between 10 and 50 euros, depending on the state of conservation.
“Reverse sails”
Among the most sought after coins of the post-war period, the very rare 500 lire stands out, which have the flags of the caravels depicted on the left, instead of on the right: these specimens were made in 1957 in 1004 specimens recognizable also by the wording “proof” placed next to the lower edge of the coin, are particularly precious precisely because they are very rare, given that the sails were brought back to the right starting from 1958, the first real year of “coin circulation”
The value for such a specimen exceeds i 2500 euro, but some of these “pieces”, in condition Brilliant Uncirculated, have been sold for even higher figures, up to 10000 euro.
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