1943 Mussolini 100 Lire Fantasy - What's the Correct Data?

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by iPen, Oct 22, 2020.

  1. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    I've been looking up various sources on this coin's specs. You can see Bruce's details below from the Krause Catalog (Unusual World Coins, 4th Edition). According to him, it's X#7 and made from gold (struck in 1970). However, NGC claims that X#7 is 0.500 silver. Both sources pull spec data from Bruce's cataloging info, yet they conflict on the composition. To make matters even more confusing, Colnect shows data (presumably from collectors) that this fantasy strike of the same design is gold plating over copper.

    Are there more variants of X#7, e.g. X#7a, X#7b, etc. that distinguishes X#7 by different metal compositions? Perhaps a later edition of the Unusual World Coins catalog show more variants of X#7.

    Also, both state that it's a Type II design, but I'm not sure what the difference between Type I and Type II are - does anyone know for certain? I do notice that the "III" on the obverse by Mussolini's helmet is different on examples I see on the 'net. Sometimes the last I in III is touching the helmet, sometimes it's not. Another variant has each I in the III not touching each other.

    Thanks in advance!


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    Last edited: Oct 22, 2020
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  3. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    I have no idea.. but here is mine from my collection
    20181225_114113-1.jpg 20181225_114054-1.jpg
     
  4. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

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  5. brg5658

    brg5658 Well-Known Member

    Are you asking about the 100 Lire or the 20 Lire? The one @paddyman98 posted is the 20 Lire, so a weight for comparison to your original 100 Lire won’t help much.

    I have editions 4, 5, and 6 of Unusual World Coins and none of them differ from the 4th Edition you posted. That being said, these Krause catalogues are far from exhaustive or error free. If you study pieces long enough, you’ll quickly surpass the knowledge of Krause.
     
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  6. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    I wanted to know the weight of the 20 Lire one as well to see how accurate the catalog is. Thanks for the info on the 4, 5, and 6 editions being the same. I think that the catalog is missing variants.
     
  7. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    It's at home.. Tomorrow evening when I get back I will weigh it for you.
     
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  8. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    Thank you :)
     
  9. serafino

    serafino Well-Known Member

    I wonder who issued these fantasy coins. Were they made to sell to tourists as souvenirs ?
     
  10. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    I read that it was made to sell to tourists, and that the same mint that made the Hitler fantasy coins made these, too. If that info is known, then maybe the source of these Mussolini fantasy pieces can be solved. Not from any printed source, just stuff I read on forums while researching these coins. So take it with a grain of salt.
     
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  11. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    I got the weight this morning.. 16.0 Grams
    20201026_053240.jpg
     
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  12. Razz

    Razz Critical Thinker

    Looks a little like George C
    Scott in Patton.
     
  13. serafino

    serafino Well-Known Member

    Because of the helmet. Benito had a shaved head and a jutting jawline
     
  14. iPen

    iPen Well-Known Member

    According to the catalog, all 20 Lire ones with the same design and a silver color are either X #2 or X #2a. Within each of those, there appear to different types as well, judging by the different designs I've seen. The most common weights I've seen are either 20.4g, or they have a wide range between 14.13g and 16.44g.
     
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