How to Identify the 100 Lire

Start With the Reverse

The fastest way to identify this specific 100 Lire is the reverse. It pairs a large 100 LIRE denomination with an allegorical human figure, the year 1979, and an FAO reference. That FAO wording is the single most important diagnostic: it marks the coin as part of the Food and Agriculture Organization commemorative program rather than a standard circulation issue.

Read the Obverse Legend

The obverse shows a woman's head in profile facing left, wrapped by the legend REPVBBLICA ITALIANA. This confirms the issuing country as the Italian Republic. Note the exact spelling as struck; the country name plus the profile head together anchor the attribution before you even weigh or measure the piece.

Check Metal, Size, and Color

The coin is small, thin, and light, with a silvery, nickel-gray tone rather than a gold or copper hue. It is struck in a stainless steel-type alloy (Italy's "acmonital" family of metals), so it will look like an ordinary minor coin, not a precious-metal medal. A neodymium magnet test can help: steel-based alloys respond to a magnet, unlike copper-nickel or silver.

Separate It From Look-Alikes

Italy's regular circulating 100 Lire of this era shows the helmeted goddess Minerva and carries no FAO wording; do not confuse that common type with this commemorative. Also distinguish it from other FAO denominations Italy issued (such as larger-value FAO coins), which differ in size and stated value. The 100 LIRE figure plus the 1979 date narrows it precisely.

Authentication Cautions

Because this is a low-value modern coin, deceptive counterfeits are rare, but wear, cleaning, and corrosion are common. Harsh cleaning leaves hairline scratches and dulls the surface, reducing collector appeal. Confirm the date and FAO reference are crisp and match the expected design, and be wary of pieces with altered dates or unusual weight, which suggest damage or tampering rather than a genuine, original strike.