Italy

2010

Commemorative coin

200th anniversary of the birth of Camillo Benso, count of Cavour

Official Journal of the European Union

The inner part of the coin shows in the centre a detail of the portrait of the Italian statesman. On the left ‘CAVOUR’ and the monogram of the Italian Republic ‘RI’. On the right ‘R’, the dates ‘1810’ and ‘2010’ and the initials of the artist Claudia Momoni ‘C.M.’. The outer ring depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Additional information

The coin, which is based on an oil painting by Francesco Hayez (1791-1882) from 1864, shows Camillo Benso of Cavour (1810-1861). Cavour was the statesman who drove the Italian unification process towards an independent nation state. He was the architect of the Italian constitution and became the first prime minister of the new Kingdom of Italy in March 1861. When he died three months later, his dream of a united Italy was almost fulfilled. Veneto became part of the Kingdom in 1866. Rome came to Italy after the departure of the French troops in 1870 and then became the capital.

Edge lettering

Designer