Italy’s Historic 500 Lire Coins Hit the Scene in 1982
May 21, 2026
When Italy replaced its 500 lire note of the 1960s and 1970s with a 500 lire coin in 1982, history was made. The Italian 500 lire became one of the first widely circulating bimetallic coins in the world, featuring a two-part construction consisting of an aluminum-bronze center in a stainless steel ring. However, the coin’s then-novel metallic composition wasn’t the only thing that made the Italy 500 lire special.
The 1982 Italian 500 Lire was also among the earliest of widely distributed coins in the world to carry Braille, a series of raised dots to help those with vision challenges read; this inclusive feature was seen on the upper portion of the coin’s outer ring on the reverse, spelling out the denomination “L.500” in a fashion that could be interpreted by those who couldn’t see the coin’s inscriptions.
From PCGS