10 euro San Marino 2013 - Niccolò Machiavelli

AASFN celebrates the 500 years of one of the most influential and controversial masterpieces of Italian literature. It was written by Niccolò Machiavelli who was a founder of modern political science and a Secretary to the Second Chancery of the Republic of Florence. The book argues that the ends justify the means for preserving political authority and that the prince has to put the public interest before his own ethics.
The reverse of the Coin depicts in the foreground a portrait of Machiavelli with his book Il Principe; the portrait is based on the painting of the Italian Santi di Tito. In the background an image of Florence city centre with Ponte Vecchio. In the upper part there is the inscription “1513 IL PRINCIPE 2013” and the logo of Europa Star Programme. On the left side the value “10 EURO”; on the right the symbol of the Italian Mint “R” and the artist’s name “V. DE SETA”. In the lower part in a cartouche the name “NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI”; all around decorative lilies, the flower which represents Florence. The obverse of the coin shows the coat of arms of the Republic of San Marino encircled by the inscription “REPUBBLICA DI SAN MARINO”. Below the author’s name “A.NAPOLIONE”.