Italy attracted a great deal of criticism from its European partners over
its public spending and its large debt. On entering the eurozone the Italian economy was the most stretched
of all countries by the EU's convergence criteria for membership. By pushing through several reforms, most
notably overhauling public finances, the then centre-left government was able to join the euro. However
other EU members felt that Italy still had some way to go to meet its' obligations.
Italian euro coins have a design unique to each denomination, though there is a common theme of famous
Italian works of art from one of Italy's renowned artists. Each coin is designed by a different designer,
from the 1 cent to the 2 euro coin they are: Eugenio Driutti, Luciana De Simoni, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini,
Claudia Momoni, Maria Angela Cassol, Roberto Mauri, Laura Cretara and Maria Carmela Colaneri. All designs
feature the 12 stars of the EU, the year of imprint and the overlapping letters "RI" for Repubblica
Italiana (Italian Republic). There are no Italian euro coins dated earlier than 2002, even though they were
certainly minted earlier, as they were first distributed to the public in December 2001.
The choice of the design of the coins was left to the Italian public by means of a TV broadcast where
alternative designs were presented, letting the people vote by calling a certain telephone number. However,
the 1-euro coin was missing in this "election", because Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (now ex-President of
the Italian Republic), then Economy minister, had already decided it would sport the Vitruvian man of
Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo's work is highly symbolical as it represents the Renaissance focus on man
as the measure of all things, and has simultaneously a round shape that fits the coin perfectly. As
president Ciampi observed, this represents the "coin to the service of Man", instead of Man to
the service of money. Please take a look at The Italian National Mint.
| Italy 2 euros - Portrait of Raphael of Dante Alighieri
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 1,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 2,455,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 135,000,000 | View | | 2006 | 9,940,000 | View | | 2005 | 61,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 6,925,000 | Buy | | 2003 | 36,098,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 463,402,200 | Buy |
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| Italy 1 euro - Drawing by Leonardo da Vinci
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 144,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 134,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 5,000,000 | Buy | | 2006 | 107,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 4,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 4,925,000 | View | | 2003 | 66,230,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 965,725,300 | Buy |
|
| Italy 50 cents - Emperor Marcus Aurelius
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 2,452,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 4,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 5,000,000 | Buy | | 2006 | 4,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 4,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 4,925,000 | Buy | | 2003 | 44,563,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 1,136,418,000 | Buy |
|
| Italy 20 cents - Sculpture by Umberto Boccioni
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 5,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 4,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 5,000,000 | Buy | | 2006 | 4,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 4,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 4,925,000 | Buy | | 2003 | 25,893,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 1,411,536,000 | Buy |
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| Italy 10 cents - Birth of Venus
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 105,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 104,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 105,000,000 | View | | 2006 | 179,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 99,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 4,925,000 | View | | 2003 | 29,714,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 1,142,083,000 | Buy |
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| Italy 5 cents - Flavius amphitheatre
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 84,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 89,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 85,000,000 | Buy | | 2006 | 118,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 69,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 9,925,000 | Buy | | 2003 | 1,844,000 | View | | 2002 | 1,341,442,204 | Buy |
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| Italy 2 cents - Mole Antonelliana
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 184,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 134,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 140,000,000 | Buy | | 2006 | 195,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 119,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 119,925,000 | Buy | | 2003 | 21,555,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 1,098,866,250 | Buy |
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| Italy 1 cent - Castle del Monte
| Date | Mintage | Shop | | 2009 | 174,952,000 | Buy | | 2008 | 179,955,000 | Buy | | 2007 | 215,000,000 | Buy | | 2006 | 158,940,000 | Buy | | 2005 | 179,918,000 | Buy | | 2004 | 99,925,000 | Buy | | 2003 | 9,637,000 | Buy | | 2002 | 1,348,599,500 | Buy |
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