History
La Marengo
The name Marengo honours the Battle of Marengo (1800), where Napoleon defeated the Austrian army. In commemoration the Subalpine Republic had gold coins struck; the name stuck for all later Italian 20 lire coins.
After the founding of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, the gold 20 lire became the national investment coin. Struck under three kings (Victor Emmanuel II, Umberto I and Victor Emmanuel III), the coin reflects half a century of Italian monarchy.
As a member of the Latin Monetary Union, the Marengo was interchangeable with the French Napoleon, the Swiss Vreneli and the Belgian Louis: identical weight, identical gold content. Production initially ran in several mints (Rome, Milan, Turin, Genoa), later exclusively in Rome.
Its dual value makes the Marengo attractive: nearly 5.81 grams of fine gold and a numismatic piece of European history. Certain years or mints can carry a higher collector value.
