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Commemorative coin of the Italian Republic, 2 euros, issued in 2022 with a circulation of 3,000,000 copies. Dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the founding of the State Police. The author of the design is Annalisa Masini (initials "AM"). Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g. Minted at the IPZS in Rome.
Obverse
The coin depicts two officers of the Polizia di Stato (State Police) - a man and a woman, standing in the foreground against the background of a police car. At the top, in an arc, is the inscription "POLIZIA DI STATO" (State Police). On the right is the monogram "RI" (Repubblica Italiana). Below, left, center, and right, respectively: the mark "R" (Rome), the initials "AM" of the author, and the dates "1852 2022" (the year of foundation and the year of issue). On the outer ring are the 12 five-pointed stars of the European Union.
Reverse
The reverse is the common side of the 2 euro coins of the second type, designed by Luc Luix (Royal Belgian Mint). It depicts a map of Europe as a single continent without internal borders, a symbol of European unity. On the left is a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right is a map with six thin horizontal lines in the background. On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the European Union. The band is finely ribbed and has the inscription "2 ★" repeated six times, alternating upright and inverted.
Historical context
The Polizia di Stato (Italian State Police) is the main civilian police force of Italy, operating under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior. It was founded on 11 July 1852 by King Vittorio Emanuele II of Sardinia as the "Corpo delle Guardie di Pubblica Sicurezza" (Corps of State Guards for Public Security) under the Del Noce Law. It was originally a military organization under the authority of the General Staff. On 7 August 1919 it was renamed the "Regia Guardia per la Pubblica Sicurezza". After World War II, in 1945, it was renamed the "Corpo delle Guardie di Pubblica Sicurezza". Finally, on 1 April 1981, by Law No. 121, it was reorganized into the modern Polizia di Stato, a civilian body (as opposed to the military Carabinieri). The police are responsible for public order, criminal investigations, road safety, migration police, combating terrorism, and state fraud. The staff size is about 95,000 people. The blue uniform and white patrol cars are characteristic.