Italian 20 Lira Gold Coin
Gold coins like the Italian 20 lira offer an excellent way to diversify your precious metals portfolio. Containing approximately 1/5th oz of pure gold, these coins would make an outstanding addition to any retirement, investment or coin collecting portfolio.
The obverse (front of the coin) features a portrait of Italy’s reigning monarch; early designs featured a mustache wearing version of King Umberto I.
Obverse
Numismatically speaking, “obverse” refers to the side of a coin which features images or portraits depicting monarchs or other influential individuals on its reverse.
Italian 20 Lire Gold Coins are one of the world’s most intriguing gold coins due to their historical value as symbols of modern kingdom and nationhood that only emerged during the late 1800s. Additionally, they’re highly liquid pieces which could make an excellent addition to retirement portfolios or coin collecting collections.
These gold liras feature King Umberto I as their reigning monarch during their mintage; during his term he would lead Italy through two world wars and Fascism until his assassination in 1900.
Reverse
Numismatically speaking, the back side of coins is known as their reverses. This 20 lira coin features the Italian coat of arms from its reigning royal family at the time of production surrounded by laurel and oak branches; an ideal addition to any world gold collection! These coins carried legal tender value in Italy until adopting euro as currency; now more valuable as collectable items than spending money there; they make excellent additions for precious metal investments or retirement account allocations.
Weight
Gold coins are produced at sovereign government mints, so their weight can vary based on their exact mintmark. However, most follow a standard for purity and metal content.
Italian 20 lira gold coins from 1861-1878 feature the coat of arms of Italy on their reverse, and on their obverse they depict their reigning monarch at that time. An excellent addition to world coin collections!
These coins do not meet the high level of purity required by the IRS for retirement and investment accounts, yet trade at reasonable premiums over spot gold prices and are highly sought-after among collectors. Comparing prices across several bullion dealers will help ensure you pay an equitable price premium.
Purity
Purity means freedom from contamination by outside influences. A pure heart seeks God and His ways alone, while living a pure life means abstaining from sexual sin and monogamous marriage, with 100% gold coins being considered pure in terms of their content (no other elements included). Purity communicates wholeness whether applied to physical substances like water or gold coins or to character traits like chasteness.
These 20 Lira coins from Italy represent an historical milestone that heralds the start of modern European nationhood. Minted using identical standards as French, Swiss and Belgian 20 Franc coins that formed the basis of Latin Monetary Union monetary systems – they make an excellent addition to retirement portfolios or coin collecting collections alike.
Value
Italian 20 Lira Gold Coins make for an attractive and cost-effective addition to retirement, investment, or coin collecting portfolios. While they do not meet the IRS requirement of 99.5 gold purity levels for retirement IRA accounts, they still possess significant intrinsic gold value and premiums over spot tend to remain relatively low.
In 1861, Italy introduced the lira as part of the Latin Monetary Union; matching in terms of size, weight and gold content with French, Swiss and Belgian franc coins in terms of size, weight and gold content. Its first designs featured King Umberto I and later his successor Victor Emanuele II on its coinage.
Victor Emmanuel III’s bust graces these coins as the final King to rule Italy since 1869 when his father was assassinated in July 1900 and led his nation through two world wars and the rise of fascism.
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