San Marino 1976 500 lire KM-59

Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale, lot 75350

This specimen was lot 75350 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $144. The catalog description^[1] noted, "SAN MARINO. 500 Lira, 1976. PCGS MS-67+. Commemorating the Social Security System. Enchanting with supremely attractive rainbow toning, this Superb Gem is not lacking for eye appeal or beauty." San Marino is in the Italian Apennines and is a protectorate of Italy but remains independent. San Marinan coinage, which is mostly NCLT's, is struck at Rome. Another 500 lire (KM 58) also exists for 1976.

Recorded mintage: 195,000, of which 106,604 were melted.

Specification: 11 g, 0.835 fine silver, 29 mm diameter, 0.295 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: KM-59.

Source:

• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
• Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
• Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

Link to:

• 1975 500 lire, opening of the Numismatic Agency
• San Marino 1976 5 lire F.A.O.
• San Marino 1977 lira F.A.O.
• 1977 5 scudi, "DEMOCRAZIA"
• 1977 1000 lire, 600th anniversary of the birth of Filippo Brunelleschi
• 1978 100 lire
• Coins and currency dated 1976