Montenegro 193. Paolucci 2. CNI 26. Very rare.

Dark patina. Excellent quality.

SPL.

Created by the goldsmith and engraver Antonello di Pietro, known as Antonello della Moneta, it is considered the origin of the first "lira" minted in Italy. It was a silver coin with a diameter of 28 millimeters, with a value equivalent to 240 Venetian denarii. Among the known examples, as with other types of coins from the period, there are small variations with differences in graphic details and punctuation.

Its introduction marked a turning point in the attempt to make the monetary systems of a politically fragmented peninsula more compatible, composed of multiple states and dominions, each with its own currency circulation. Initially, it was adopted solely as an accounting reference for budgets and economic estimates, but the Council of Ten later sanctioned its use as legal tender.

Thanks to this decision, the lira enjoyed significant diffusion, gradually assuming a role that anticipated the concept of a common currency, so much so that it also circulated along the main trade routes that extended as far as the eastern markets.