Italy 100 000 Lire Caravaggio (2nd type) Rare World Note

Issuer	Italy
Issuing bank	Bank of Italy (Banca d’Italia)
Period	Republic (1946-date)
Type	Standard circulation banknotes
Years	1994-1998
Value	100 000 Lire (100 000 ITL)
Currency	Lira (1861-2001)
Composition	Paper
Size	156 × 70 mm
Shape	Rectangular

This is an exceptional collectible banknote: the Italy 100,000 Lire Caravaggio (2nd type), issued by the Bank of Italy during the Republic period (1994-1998). This standard circulation note represents a significant piece of Italian monetary history from the final years before the country’s transition to the Euro in 2001.

The obverse features a stunning reproduction of Caravaggio’s masterpiece “Buona ventura” (The Fortune Teller), one of the Renaissance master’s most iconic works, alongside a portrait of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio himself. Measuring 156 × 70 mm and printed on quality paper, this denomination was among Italy’s highest-value banknotes of its era.

The 2nd type variant is notably scarce, making it particularly desirable for numismatists and art enthusiasts. This banknote represents the intersection of fine art and currency—a tangible connection to both Italian cultural heritage and the pre-Euro lira system. Collectors prize these notes for their artistic merit, historical significance, and the rarity of well-preserved specimens. As borders close on these obsolete currencies, demand continues to grow among serious collectors seeking authentic pieces of 20th-century European monetary history.

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