1942-R Italian 20 Centesimi!

What's this? A post on Tuesday?! Why yes, indeed it is and a special post, too. This coin is from Italy before their currency became practically worthless. It still didn't compare to U.S. money but at least they could produce coins less than 1 Lire. It was produced during WWII hence the fasces on the reverse. It also explains the odd expressions on the faces. Now, why is this coin special? Well, King Victor Emmanuel III was a coin collector! (Read more about him here.) He had approximately 100,000 specimens dating back from the fall of Rome all the way to Italian Unification. He donated most of his collection to the Italian people on his abdication. The coins he took with him joined the rest after his death. I'd like to think this one was in his collection, but I highly doubt it. It is worth about $0.50.