This 10-centesimi copper coin, issued in Italy each year from 1919 to 1937, carries the image of a bee on a flower on one side and Vittorio Emanuele III on other side. The bee is Apis Mellifera, the honeybee, although Chris Maund (who picked up the coin at a flea market) tells us that his coin reference book mistakenly identifies it as Apis mellifica. Bees are the ancient heraldic motif of the noble Roman family of Barberini, which we’d have to assume is the reason for the bee image on this coin.
Check online auction sites, such as Ebay.ca, for collectible coins on a bee theme.
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