1000 Lire Montessori

The 1000 Lire Montessori was the last note of its denomination issued by Banca d'Italia before the lira's absorption into the euro. Maria Montessori had appeared on Italian currency before — on the 1000 Lire of 1950 — making this a deliberate return rather than a first honour. She remains one of very few women to have appeared on Italian banknotes across multiple distinct series.

Three signature combinations exist across the note's eleven-year run, reflecting consecutive governorships: Ciampi signed before moving to the Treasury Ministry in 1993, Fazio succeeded him, and the Speziali-to-Amici shift in the cashier's position accounts for the third variant. Collectors targeting the full signature set need all three.