I'm starting a new series that is mainly going to be coins and tokens that are new to me. A friend was cleaning up their collection, and as they mainly collect US coins, they decided to give me some of the foreign coins they had lying around. Most of them are either common, or even state that they have "no cash value" but maybe over time that has changed. If you see one that I post that's got some rarity to it, I'd love to know.
The first coin is a 5 Centesimi piece from Italy. Although I immediately thought it might be gold (because it's gold colored), it's actually Bronzital. The coin was produced during a time when it was likely just copper and aluminum.
From Wikipedia (using Google Translate)
The bronzital is a particular bronze alloy composed of copper and aluminum initially used for the production of coins from the mint of Rome.
source
Here's a picture of the reverse.
It has been demonetized, but according to Numista it could be worth up to $1.00 USD.
Here's a closeup of the reverse.
Forgive me in advance if I say this many time, but "I'd love to know what this coin has seen." It has been around for 76 years, and was minted in Italy during the time period of World War 2, so it would be interesting to know how it came to be in the United States and the journey it took on the way.
Regardless, it's a new coin to me, and I like history and unique designs on coins. Look for more coins like this in the days to come.
