1 Cent Lira

The first coin of centesimo of Italian lira was minted during the period when Napoleon occupied Italy. We are talking about the period from 1807 to 1813. This coin was for the exclusive use of the Kingdom of Italy.

Since there are specimens of this coin with the minting year 1819 from the Milan mint, it can be inferred that its use continued even after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.

The coin weighs 2.10 grams and is made of 950/1000 copper. The axes are in the French style.

On the obverse, there is the head of Emperor and King Napoleon, the date, the mint mark, and the oil lamp indicating Luigi Manfredi, the engraver and director of the mint in Milan.

On the reverse of the coin, there is the symbol of the Holy Roman Empire: the radiated iron crown, centrally above the inscription centesimo and below the semicircular inscription “REGNO D'ITALIA”.

Below, there is the symbol of the mint:

• For the Bologna Mint: B and oak branch
• Venice Mint: V and an anchor
• For the Milan Mint: M and pomegranate

The first minting of the centesimo of Sardinian lira occurred in 1826 under Carlo Felice, initially King of Sardinia and later Duke of Savoy.

The 1 centesimo coin of Carlo Felice weighs 2 grams, has a diameter of 19 mm, and is made of 1000/1000 copper.

On the obverse, it features the denomination 1 CENTESIMO, the embellishment, and the year of minting. Surrounding it is a laurel crown, the inscription CAR · FELIX D · G · REX SAR · CYP · ET HIER, and below, a rosette. The reverse depicts a shield with the Savoy eagle surrounded by oak branches and topped with a royal crown.
At the bottom, on either side of the branches, is the mint mark. The axes are French-style and the edge is smooth.

Value of 1 Centesimo of Sardinian Lira

But what is the value of this 1 centesimo coin? If you are curious to know, we will discover it now.

The rare coin in question has a value ranging from €8 to €90.

The specimen valued at €90 is in FDC condition, minted in Turin, and is notable for having a P in an oval instead of an L. In the last auction, dated 24/2/2016, the 1 centesimo in question (FDC) reached a value of €197 with a starting price of €100.

There is another type of coin, minted in 1860, namely the 1 centesimo “Re Eletto,” which dates back to the period of the Popular Government of Tuscany.
Let’s take a closer look at its interesting details.

Obverse: inside a circle of beads, we find the Savoy coat of arms with a royal crown and the collar of the Annunziata. Surrounding it is the inscription “VITTORIO EMANUELE RE ELETTO“, below a frieze with a four-petal rosette, with a turreted crown on the right and a lily on the left.

Reverse: indication of the value 1 CENTESIMO and the date 1859 on three lines, surrounded by a circle of beads. Around it is the inscription “GOVERNO DELLA TOSCANA” and a frieze with four-petal rosettes.

This coin, made of copper, weighs 1 gram and has a diameter of 15 mm. The edge is smooth with French alignment.

Curiosity: despite the 1 centesimo Re Eletto coin bearing the year (1859), it was actually minted in 1860.

But the peculiarities don’t end here!

There is also a coin minted using the dies of Carlo Felice. Unlike the latter, it does not have the mint mark and bears the year 1826, although it was minted between 1859 and 1860.

This is the coin of the Provisional Government of Bologna.

The edge of this coin is smooth and its diameter is 18 mm with French alignment.

This coin is identical to the 1 centesimo of Sardinian Lira that we previously described.

Rare 1 cent lira value Re Eletto

As you can imagine, these coins, rich in details, are quite interesting for collectors.

Here are the values and quotes for this rare coin, the centesimo Re Eletto from the mint of Bologna:

• condition MB/BB: 30€,
• condition QFDC: 75 €,
• condition QSPL: 130€,

And here are the auction values of the 1 centesimo Re Eletto from the Popular Government of Tuscany:

• Asta Varesi 50, 2007, condition FDC: 150€,
• Asta Varesi, 2011, condition BB: 46€,
• Crippa Cronos, condition SPL+: 93,15 €

We are in 1866, the Unification of Italy, and the Papal State also decides to adopt the decimal currency system. For this reason, it mints coins with characteristics similar to those of the Kingdom of Italy. Let's discover the features and peculiarities of this rare coin.

The 1 centesimo Pio IX features on the obverse the effigy of Pope Pius IX surrounded by a circle of beads. Outside the circle of beads, there is the inscription PIVS · IX · PON · MAX · AN · and the year of pontificate. Below is the year between two stars.

On the reverse, within a circle of beads, there is the indication of the value (1 CENTESIMO) on two lines with CENTESIMO in an arc. Outside the circle of beads, the inscription STATO PONTIFICIO is flanked by two stars and the mint mark (R) below.

Value of 1 centesimo Pio IX

But what is the value of the 1 centesimo Pio IX coin?

Let's find out together.

Some specimens can be found starting from 15 € (specimens with no indication of their condition). Other specimens, however, can reach a value of up to 600€.

Here are all the details:

• NC, mint Rome: 35€
• FDC, mint Rome: 45€
• RRR, MB, mint Rome: 120€
• 1 Centesimo Pio IX SUBALPINA, RRR, with condition VF/EF: 590€

Coins graded VF show light to medium wear. The inscriptions are still clear. Coins graded EF, on the other hand, show very light wear only on the highest points.

Are you curious to know the auction value of the 1 centesimo of Pio IX?

Here you go!

• 2002, Auction 2, FDC sold for 955€
• 2003, Auction 4, FDC, sold for 805€
• 2005, Auction 13, qSPL, starting price 400€ remains unsold
• 2006, Auction 18, MB, selling price 139€
• 2007, Auction 23, SPL, 518€
• 2008, Auction 28, qFDC, 690€
• 2008, Auction 28, SPL
• 2010, Numismatica Ranieri, SPL, 633€
• 2011, eBay, BB+ 406€.
• 2012, eBay, B, 35€
• 2012, eBay, qBB, starting price 585, coin graded by Numismaticoa Brescia, unsold
• 2013, Numistica Filetti 3, BB+ 236€

As you may have noticed, it has quite a high value; who knows if any of you own a specimen... it would be a real fortune.

The 1 centesimo of Vittorio Emanuele II minted in 1861, is the first official coin for the Kingdom of Italy.
These coins are the first “signed” by the House of Savoy with characteristics different from those of Carlo Felice.

If you want to know more, keep reading.

Obverse: head of the king facing left, and around the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE II RE D'ITALIA. Below the neck is the initial F of Ferraris, the engraver of the coin.

Reverse: the inscription 1 CENTESIMO and the year of minting on three lines. Surrounding it are laurel branches, around the Italian star and at the bottom the mint mark.

Value of the rare 1 centesimo Vittorio Emanuele II

The 1 centesimo coin of Vittorio Emanuele II has a value ranging from €35 to €500.

• condition BB, €35,
• RR, mint of Turin, €70
• FDC, mint of Naples, €140
• qFDC, RR, mint of Turin, €230
• FDC, RRR, mint of Turin, €500

The 1 centesimo of Umberto I, minted between 1895 and 1900, is very similar to that of Vittorio Emanuele II. The only modification is indeed the effigy of Umberto I and the year of minting.

Value of 1 centesimo Umberto I

The value of this coin depends on several factors including the state of preservation and the availability of the coin.

This table shows the quotation of individual 1 centesimo coins in more detail:

The 1 centesimo of Vittorio Emanuele III shares the same characteristics as the previous cents. The only differences are the effigy depicting his head facing left and the minting years, which range from 1902 to 1908.

Vittorio Emanuele III had two 1 Centesimo coins minted between 1902 and 1918: 1 Centesimo “VALORE” and 1 Centesimo “PRORA“.

Let’s take a look at the characteristics of both coins.

1 Centesimo VALORE

Coin minted from 1902 to 1908, with French axes, a smooth edge, and a diameter of 15 mm.

On the Obverse, the head of King Vittorio Emanuele III with the S. of the author Speranza below, surrounded by the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE III RE D'ITALIA.

On the Reverse, a beaded border and a laurel and oak crown with the Italian star at the top center. The face value and the centesimo of minting are displayed in three lines. At the bottom, the symbol of the mint of Rome (R).

1 centesimo PRORA

From 1908 to 1918, still featuring Vittorio Emanuele III, a new series of coins known as “Prora“ was minted.
Among these is the 1 centesimo Prora.

This coin, made of 960 copper, weighs 1 gram and has a diameter of 15 mm.

It features on the obverse the half-bust of the King in uniform, facing left, with the inscription VITTORIO EMANUELE III RE D'ITALIA.

On the reverse, it depicts an allegorical figure symbolizing Italy on a ship holding an olive branch in her right hand.

On the bow (hence the name “Prora”) of the ship, there is a raised R indicating the mint (Rome), and on the side, the incused initials of the authors P.C.M. (Pietro Canonica), L.G.I. (Luigi Giorgi). At the top along the edge CENT 1 and the date. The edge is smooth, and the axes are French.

This coin was demonetized in 1924 like all 1 centesimo coins and has a particularity:

During the four years of war, some specimens of this coin were embossed with the numbers: I, II, III, IV to indicate the year of war.

Rare 1 centesimo value Vittorio Emanuele III

Some specimens of the coin “1 Centesimo VALORE” can be worth from €6 to €65 depending on rarity and condition.

But listen closely!

A specimen of the 1902 coin R3 in BU was auctioned on October 11, 2009, for €6,900.

So if you have any, you could be really lucky.
However, be careful to have it evaluated thoroughly because there are indeed many counterfeit specimens.

On the other hand, the coin “1 centesimo di PRORA” has a value ranging from €30 for a BU coin, mint Rome, to €500 for a RRRR, BU coin with a special characteristic: the allegorical figure has three arms on the left.

On November 19, 2011, a 1 Centesimo PRORA specimen from 1908 R2 in BU was sold at auction for €2,530

As you may have noticed, the 1 centesimo lira coin, which starts with Napoleon and ends with Vittorio Emanuele III, from 1807 to 1924, undergoes a series of “metamorphoses”.

Many of these coins are extremely rare and have peculiarities that make them particularly interesting.

Just think of the extremely high value that some of these coins possess. However, let us not forget that the 1 centesimo coin of Vittorio Emanuele III marks the years of the war. Years that we have studied in history books, years engraved on some coins, years that certainly are not forgotten.

So how could a collector give up owning a historical coin like this?

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out these topics on lira:

• Here you can learn everything about the 1 lira, 2 lire, 5 lire, rare 10 lire, 20 lire, and 50 lire.
• The 10 centesimi lira are here, the 20 centesimi here, and here are the rare 50 centesimi lira.
• If you are looking for the 1 centesimo lira coin, look here and here for the rare 2 centesimi lira and the 5 centesimi lira.
• If you want info on the 100 lire and their value, you can find it here, as well as that of the 1000 Lire of the Italian Republic.
• We have discussed the 200 lire and their value here.
• We talked about the Telephone Tokens that were worth 200 lire on this page.
• We also discussed the 500 lire silver, the 500 bimetallic lire, and the 500 paper lire
  
• For German-speaking collectors, we have created a dedicated version of the catalog of rare coins found here “MoneteRare Deutschland”.