World Coins Countries I-L

1968 Irish Florin or flóirín in Fine condition

In 1822 and 1823 the Royal Mint issued copper halfpennies for use in Ireland. On the obverse is the wreathed bust of the king facing left, while the reverse shows an Irish harp in the centre with HIBERNIA above and the date below. Supplies of the coin are limited, but we can offer you some in Fair condition.

In 1822 and 1823 the Royal Mint issued copper halfpennies for use in Ireland. On the obverse is the wreathed bust of the king facing left, while the reverse shows an Irish harp in the centre with HIBERNIA above and the date below. Supplies of the coin are limited, but we can offer you some in Very Good condition.

This is another in the Patina Queen Victoria Jubilee Head series. This time we are featuring the Irish issue. You have the brilliant Proof likeness of Queen Victoria in her Jubilee Head garb on one side. The other side has the seated figure of Hibernia in the Matt Proof incuse mode of this series. The mintage is just 80 pieces in Proof Sterling Silver and Coincraft bought the entire mintage. We thought they were so handsome and priced so right that our collectors would love them. Only 80 are made in Silver and our price is only £69.50, compare that with the prices that mints are charging all around the globe and you will see what a fantastic offer this is. You will love the Victorian design and the seated figure of Hibernia is also fantastic, but best of all, you will love the price.

Struck in Silver. All coins grade at least Fine condition.

Struck in Nickel. All coins will grade at least Fine condition.

In 1980 when the Queen Mother turned 80, a number of countries issued special commemorative crowns to honour the event. The Isle of Man was such a place. This handsome crown is struck in Uncirculated cupro-nickel. You have a facing portrait of the Queen Mother on one side and on the other you have a profile portrait of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II. These crowns are now 39 years old and in Uncirculated condition.

The currency of Lucca was highly valued in Europe as a means of exchange and trade. The Crusaders also relied on Lucca’s coins to pay for whatever services they required such as equipment, food, transport, soldiers etc. It was a truly international currency such as the Euro today. Trading with the whole of Europe through the centuries allowed the merchants of Lucca to gather considerable wealth and, in turn, they became money lenders and bankers with some of the most powerful families in Europe originating from Lucca. These coins were struck under Enrico (Henry) III, IV and V between 1039-1125 so are around 800-1000 years old and from a once extremely powerful currency.

Lucca Silver Denar of Enrico III /IV Fine-Very Fine.

Robert of Anjou, known as Robert the Wise, was King of Naples from 1309-1343 and was a central figure of Italian politics at the time. He was born around 1276, the third son of King Charles II of Naples and Mary of Hungary. After the death of his elder brother, Charles Martel of Anjou in 1295, Robert, became heir to the crown of Naples. These silver coins issued in his name between 1309-1317 are known as Gigliato because of the lilies (Giglio in Italian) depicted on the reverse entwined around a cross. It was a coin of .929 fine silver weighing 4 grams and was first introduced by Charles II in 1303. It became the dominant silver coin of its time and was very similar to the French Gros and the English Groat in size and weight. The obverse shows Robert enthroned facing holding a sceptre and cruciger with the legend +ROBЄRT DЄI GRA IЄRL ЄT SICIL RЄX around. A fantastic coin now over 700 years old and well preserved. Limited availability

This was an anonymous silver coinage issued by decree in 1565 under Doge Girolamo Priuli (1486-1567) for use in Crete. The obverse shows the winged lion of Saint Mark holding the book of gospels with the legend SANCTVS MARCVS VENETVS and the reverse shows Saint Justina enthroned with a lion each side, holding a sword in her right hand and scales in left with the legend DILICIT IVSTITIAM.

1565 Venice 2 Soldi Extremely Fine

In 1923 the 2 lire coin in Italy was struck in nickel for the first time, having been made of silver since unification in the early 1860s. Although these coins circulated over a 12-year period, those struck between 1928 and 1935 were limited issues and only made available to collectors. On the obverse is King Vittorio Emanuele III in military uniform and the reverse shows a fasces symbol with an axe and a lion. This was the first denomination to carry the symbol of Mussolini’s Fascist Party, which had come to power a year earlier. These coins are available in Very Fine condition.

Between 1982 and 2001 Italy had a rather unique 500 lire coin in circulation. It was the first to have the value written in Braille on the reverse. The coin features the traditional woman’s head symbolizing the Italian Republic, as well as the Quirinale Palace on the reverse. Built in 1583, the palace has been home to 30 popes, 4 kings of Italy, and 12 Presidents of the Republic to date. We are offering the coins in Uncirculated condition.

Between 1922 and 1935 Italy issued its first-ever 1 lira coin not minted in silver, and the first not to bear the image of the king. On the obverse is the figure of a seated woman dressed in Roman style, holding a small statue of a winged victory in a lowered left hand and an olive branch in her outstretched right hand. The reverse shows the Coat of Arms of the then reigning House of Savoy alongside the value inside a circle of laurel branches. We can now offer you this interesting nickel coin in Very Fine condition.

As part of our offer marking D-Day we are offering our collectors this Italian Extremely Fine 1 lira coin from 1939. This particular coin was only struck for 2 years, but it represents the years when Britain entered the Second World War and the year Italy entered in support of Germany. The obverse shows King Vittorio Emanuele III, with the reverse showing an eagle against a backdrop of the Fasces symbol. Below is the shield of the House of Savoy, the date and either XVII or XVIII, which represent Years 17 and 18 of the Fascist Era in Italy.

As part of our offer marking D-Day we are offering our collectors this Italian Extremely Fine 1 lira coin from 1940. This particular coin was only struck for 2 years, but it represents the years when Britain entered the Second World War and the year Italy entered in support of Germany. The obverse shows King Vittorio Emanuele III, with the reverse showing an eagle against a backdrop of the Fasces symbol. Below is the shield of the House of Savoy, the date and either XVII or XVIII, which represent Years 17 and 18 of the Fascist Era in Italy.

It happened in 1940 that Mussolini declared war on Great Britain; he sided with Hitler and the Japanese and decided he was going to win and take us over. We guess he didn’t win. On this large nickel coin, you have the head of Victor Emanuele III and on the other side, you have an eagle with his wings full spread and an axe behind him. You just don’t get many coins from Italy issued during World War II, especially from the year they declared war on us. We shan’t make jokes about the Italian armed forces, after all, a lot of people died in the battles with them. The coin is large and in Extremely Fine condition and we think it was a fantastic find. We are going to use them in our World War II Remembered Collection that will be coming out later this year. This coin is too important to wait for it, you can own it now.

We have a small group of Brilliant Uncirculated Italian 100 Lire Gold Coins from 1931. You have Vittorio Emanuele III on one side and Italia as a woman on a prow on the reverse. It is struck in 900 fine gold and contains about a quarter of an ounce of pure gold. It is listed as Krause 72 and catalogues $1,700 (£1,416) in MS60 and $2,500 ($2,083) in MS63. We are not experts in American grading, but we do know they are Brilliant Unc condition and we feel our price is very fair. Limit one coin per collector.

20 Euro Pattern coin for Italy, privately struck in 1997. Brilliant Uncirculated. Featuring Leonardo Da Vinci.

The Italian Naval League was honoured in 1997 on a brass 200 Lire coin of Italy. Of course, Italy no longer uses the Lire denomination, they now use the Euro. You have Italy featured on one side and the arms of the Naval League on the other side. They are now 12 years old and one of the last 200 Lire coins to be struck. They are of course, in Uncirculated condition

100th anniv of the Bank, bi-metallic Unc

70th anniv of National Statistics, bi-metallic Unc

Before Italy joined the Euro Zone, they, like most countries issued their own coinage. But unlike other countries there were about 3,000 Lire to the Pound. The coins, when you could find them, cost more to make than their face value! We have a collection of five Italian coins struck before the Euro, 4 are Uncirculated but the very difficult 200 Lire is in circulated condition. You get the 5 and 10 Lire in aluminium, the 50 Lire a scarce denomination in Uncirculated, the 100 Lire Uncirculated and the very difficult 200 Lire in circulated condition. They date between 1969-1996 and were difficult to find even before they were replaced by the Euro.

These silver 5 lire coins were struck over an 11-year period from 1926 and are almost the size of an old UK shilling. The obverse shows the head of Vittorio Emanuele III facing left, while the reverse has an eagle holding a Fascio Littorio in its claws. Also known as a “fasces”, it was a symbol of power in the old Etruscan civilisation and then Ancient Rome, but was later adopted by Mussolini’s Fascist Party, which had established itself in power at this time. We have a number of these coins available in Very Fine condition.