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3 Lire
| Issuer | Governo Provvisorio di Venezia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1848 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 3 Lire |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The central vignette presents two putti flanking a large numeral 3 on a plinth, one kneeling and one standing holding a balance scale, rendered in intaglio style. To the upper left, a cartouche encloses the winged Lion of Saint Mark with a serial number; to the upper right, a cartouche bears the date 1848. The denomination inscriptions LIRE TRE and CORRENTI appear to the lower left and right respectively, with MONETA PATRIOTTICA in bold letterpress along a curved banner at the base. |
|---|---|
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| Protection type | Official seal |
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| Comments |
The Governo Provvisorio di Venezia — the provisional government established after Daniele Manin led the expulsion of Austrian forces in March 1848 — issued these notes to fund an insurgency with almost no financial infrastructure behind it. Venice had no central bank, no established note-printing apparatus, and was operating under a revolutionary administration that few powers were willing to recognize or bankroll. These paper obligations were a fiscal improvisation under siege conditions.
Austrian forces blockaded and eventually retook the city in August 1849 after a prolonged bombardment. Notes issued by the provisional government became worthless overnight, which is precisely why survivors exist at all — they were pocketed as souvenirs rather than presented for redemption.