To commemorate the 700th anniversary of the Supreme Poet’s death, the Italian State Printing Office and Mint (the Italian Mint) is commemorating the life and work of Dante Alighieri with a new coin. This year’s issue, which is entitled “Divum,” celebrates the divine comedy.
Italian Mint Commemorates Poet Dante With New Coin Featuring Purgatory
The design of the coin is simple and elegant: It features silver in a variety of colors, and it has a face value of 5 euros. The second version, which is a Proof coin, features gold. It has a nominal value of 20 euros, and it has a circulation of 1,500 pieces.
The design of the coin was created by artist Claudia Momoni. It features Dante’s profile on the reverse, and an image of an effigies of the poet is featured in the circle. The legend “ITALIAN REPUBLIC” is also enclosed by a star.
The coin features a depiction of the Divine Forest, the sea, and the stars. At the top of the last frame is a wall of fire, and at the bottom is a verse from the poem “PURE AND WILLING TO GO UP TO THE STARS.” This verse closes the canticle of the spiritual experience.
The right side of the coin features the value “5 EURO,” while the left side features the image of the Mint of Rome.
The date of the issue of the coin and the signature of the artist are shown below. The silver version of the coin features various coloured elements. The information about the product and the availability of the coins are available on the website of the Italian Mint.
