Italy Victor Emmanuel III 50 Centesimi

History

50 Centesimi 1939-1943, KM# 76b, Italy, Victor Emmanuel III

Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com

Description

Victor Emmanuel III (Italian: Vittorio Emanuele III; 1869–1947) was the King of Italy from 29 July 1900 until his abdication on 9 May 1946. In addition, he claimed the thrones of Ethiopia and Albania as Emperor of Ethiopia (1936–41) and King of the Albanians (1939–43), claims not recognised by all the great powers. During his long reign (nearly 46 years), which began after the assassination of his father Umberto I, the Kingdom of Italy became involved in two World Wars. His reign also encompassed the birth, rise, and fall of Italian Fascism.

Victor Emmanuel abdicated his throne in 1946 in favour of his son Umberto II, hoping to strengthen support for the monarchy against an ultimately successful referendum to abolish it. He then went in exile to Alexandria, Egypt, where he died and was buried the following year.

He was called by the Italians Il Re soldato (The Soldier King) for having led his country during both the world wars (and for Savoy's historical affinity with the battlefield, where the dynasty built much of its power), and, after Italy's victory in the First World War Il Re vittorioso (The Victorious King). He was also nicknamed Sciaboletta ("little saber") due to his height of 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in).

Obverse	Person (king, queen, tsar etc.) Victor Emmanuel III Head of King Victor Emmanuel III facing left. Below the neck the name of the engraver. VITT EMAN III RE E IMP means Victor Emmanuel III King of Italy and Emperor of Ethiopia. In 1936, with the Italian conquest of Ethiopia, Victor Emmanuel III was proclaimed Emperor of Ethiopia. Thus he became King-Emperor (in Italian Re Imperatore), i.e., King of Italy and Emperor of Ethiopia, because conquered Ethiopia was then an Empire. Engraver: Giuseppe Romagnoli VITT • EMAN • III • RE • E • IMP • G.ROMAGNOLI
Reverse	Animal (fish, bird, mammal etc.) Eagle Coat of arms Savoy Symbol, amulet, talisman Fasces Eagle holding a fasces, date and year of Fascist Era on the left, near the tail. Below the fasces, in the exergue the Savoy shield divides value, with mintmark at left. The fasces is a fascist symbol. It depicts an axe bound in a bundle of wooden rods, a symbol of the power over life or death through the death penalty. Italian Fascism, also known simply as Fascism, is the original fascist ideology as developed in Italy. The ideology is associated with a series of three political parties led by Benito Mussolini: the Fascist Revolutionary Party (PFR) founded in 1915, the succeeding National Fascist Party (PNF) which was renamed at the Third Fascist Congress on 7–10 November 1921 and ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943 and the Republican Fascist Party that ruled the Italian Social Republic from 1943 to 1945. Engraver: Pietro Giampaoli ITALIA 1941 XIX R C. 50
Edge	Reeded (milled)