Italy 1 Lira - Victor Emmanuel III, 1908 – 1913

1 Lira from Italy. Issued from 1908 to 1913. Struck in Silver (.835). Measures 23 mm and weighs 5 g.

Obverse

Half bust of King Victor Emmanuel III in high uniform facing right, inside a circle adorned with leaves with the legend outside and the name of the engraver on the rim. (Victor Emmanuel III K[ing] of Italy
D.CALANDRA M.)

Reverse

Italy standing on an adorned quadriga with a shield on her left hand and an olive branch in the right. The date is below the prancing legs of the horses; far below on the line of the exergue there is the name of the author. In the exergue, the value L.1 (1 lira) is flanked by two knots with the mintmark on left and the Star of Italy plus the name of the engraver at the right. (1910
FERT 
D Calandra M
R
L.1
L Giorgi Inc.)

Edge

Smooth with inscription between knots and rosettes. (FERT was the motto of the house of Savoy, adopted by King Vittorio Amedeo II (1666-1732). It is thought to be an acronym, though what it stands for have been lost to time. Theories include:

1. Foedere Et Religione Tenemur (Latin, ‘treaty and religion bind us’)

2. Fortitudo Eius Rempublicam Tenet (Latin, ‘his bravery [or strength] preserves [or defends] the state’)

3. Fides Est Regni Tutela (Latin, ‘faith is the protector of [our] kingdom’)

Another theory suggests that it is in fact the Latin word fert, the third-person singular present active indicative of ferre (Meaning he/she/it suffers/bears), in reference to Jesus bearing the sins of the world.)