Italian Lira coins
The Italian Lira was the currency of Italy between its foundation, in 1861, and the introduction of the Euro, in 2002. The name "Lira" originates from the Latin libra, a unit of weight used in the Roman Empire and equivalent to 327.45 grams.
The first coins were minted after the unification of Italy, under the reign of Vittorio Emanuele II, then the currency was produced for 140 years, during periods of the Kingdom and the Republic, before its replacement with the Euro. The collection of Italian coins has always been very important in the numismatic world, also due to the rarity and beauty of some coins, such as that of Vittorio Emanuele III, known as the Numismatic King due to his passion for collecting, or the silver 500 lire minted from 1958 to 1967, and the interest raised up after the changeover to the Euro and the progressive decrease of circulating pieces.
Below is the list of Lira's periods: