National Mint of Italy issued the new coin in a limited edition, on the 60th birthday of the iconic Fiat 500, to celebrate the history of this car.
The coin presented by the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Italy is worth 5 euros, and it was designed by Claudia Momoni, the artist of the State Mint. A series of 4,000 coins is planned, but they will not be released into circulation, which will make them a real treasure for collectors.
The coin face displays the FIAT 500 model from 1957 as well as today’s model, surrounded by the words “Republic of Italy”, while on the back is a characteristic profile of the classic model 500 with the years 1957 and 2017, as well as a value tag of 5 euros.
The coin is part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the FIAT 500, and comes after another similar event – the publication of the jubilee postage by the Italian Post.
The global significance of the 500 model and its reputation for the historic design symbol is also recognized when the original cars from 1957 were included in the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
During its sixty years of history, the FIAT 500 has improved the daily lives of millions of people. Its production was an important part of the post-war recovery of Italy and that car set the nation on a four-wheeler before it began to be exported around the world.
Today, as much as 80% of the cars of the modern model 500 have been sold outside Italy.