CoinWeek Giveaway # 653 Sponsored by…CoinWeek Giveaway #653: Italy’s New Silver Bullion Series Blooms With the 2026 Lily

Italy waited more than a century to return to a traditional crown-sized silver bullion format. Then, in 2025, the Italian State Mint made its move.

The Mint launched its new Flora and Fauna Series with a one-ounce silver coin honoring the daisy. That issue marked Italy’s first modern one-ounce silver bullion coin and its first traditional crown-sized silver release since the silver 5 lire of 1914. Collectors responded quickly to the limited 16,000-coin issue.

Now Italy has returned with the second chapter.

CoinWeek Giveaway #653 features the 2026 Italy Flora and Fauna – The Lily 0.25 Euro, struck in one troy ounce of .999 fine silver. Even better, PCGS graded this giveaway coin MS-69 and awarded it the First Strike designation.

From the Daisy to the Lily

Italy launched the Flora and Fauna Series to celebrate the country’s natural heritage through modern numismatic art. For 2026, the lily takes center stage.

The flower carries centuries of symbolism. In European art and culture, people have associated lilies with purity, devotion, renewal, and rebirth. The American Numismatic Association also notes those themes in its coverage of the 2026 issue.

Silvia Ciucci designed the lily side of the coin. Three graceful lilies dominate the composition. The scientific name LILIUM appears below. Meanwhile, REPUBBLICA ITALIANA curves around the design. The date 2026 and the “R” mintmark identify the year and Rome Mint.

However, the opposite side gives the series its identity.

Monica Ciucci created an allegorical female portrait representing Italian flora. Flowers crown her flowing hair. An olive branch appears to the left, while an oak branch balances the design on the right. The inscriptions include FLORA, 0.25 EURO, and 1 oz Ag 999.

The result looks less like conventional bullion and more like a miniature Italian medal.

A Tiny Mintage in the Bullion World

The Italian Mint capped the 2026 one-ounce silver issue at just 17,000 coins. Of that total, 4,000 coins received individual presentation packaging. The remaining 13,000 went into numbered tubes containing 20 coins each. By comparison, the debut 2025 Daisy carried a 16,000-piece limit.

That scale makes the series unusual in a bullion market where major international programs often reach far larger production totals.

The coin measures 38.61 mm and contains 31.104 grams of .999 fine silver. It carries a smooth edge and the legal-tender denomination of 0.25 euro. The Italian Mint released the issue on January 30, 2026.

The CoinWeek Giveaway Coin

PCGS certified the CoinWeek Giveaway #653 prize MS-69, placing it just one grading point below the theoretical Mint State maximum.

It also carries the PCGS First Strike designation. PCGS uses that designation for qualifying coins associated with the first 30 days following an official Mint release. For world coins, PCGS requires documentation to verify release and purchase dates.

So, this giveaway combines three collecting themes in one coin: a new European bullion series, a low-mintage world silver issue, and contemporary Italian medallic art.

Italy’s modern silver bullion experiment began with a daisy. With the 2026 Lily, it has started to become a series worth watching.

Coin Specifications

• Country: Italy
• Year: 2026
• Series: Flora and Fauna
• Denomination: €0.25
• Mint: Rome Mint (R)
• Issuer: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS)
• Composition: .999 Fine Silver
• Weight: 1 Troy Ounce / 31.104 g
• Diameter: 38.61 mm
• Maximum Mintage: 17,000
• Grade: PCGS MS-69
• Designation: PCGS First Strike
• Designers: Silvia Ciucci and Monica Ciucci

Entries into our Contest are accepted from August 8th until 8 AM on Saturday August 15th, 2026

Links to Entry Forms,  Extra Entry Options and Terms are Below

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