Italy 10 Lire - Victor Emmanuel III, 1936 – 1941

10 Lire from Italy. Issued from 1936 to 1941. Struck in Silver (.835). Measures 27 mm and weighs 10 g.

Obverse

Head of King Vittorio Emanuele III facing right (VITTORIO EMANUELE III KING AND EMPEROR)

Reverse

Female figure (allegory of Italy) standing on the prow of a ship, with a small statue of Victory in her left hand and a fasces in her right. Left, the year and the Fascist Era on two lines; at right the mintmark. On the bow of the ship the crowned Shield of Savoy is flanked by two fascis. In exergue the value, with the name of the engraver at right, around the rim.

Edge

Lettering incuse between knots and stars (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.)