Rome, 9 June 2026 – One hundred years after the birth of Arnaldo Pomodoro (1926–2026), the Italian Republic pays tribute to the visionary power of his work and the unmistakable language of his artistic research with a €10 silver commemorative coin. The issue honours one of the leading figures of contemporary sculpture, whose monumental works are displayed in some of the world’s most prestigious museums and public spaces.

Struck in 925‰ silver with a Brilliant Uncirculated finish, the coin translates into numismatic form one of the most iconic elements of Pomodoro’s artistic legacy: the celebrated Sfera Grande (Large Sphere), a metaphor for the complexity of the contemporary world.

The obverse features a portrait of Arnaldo Pomodoro, based on a photograph by Salvo Galano, while the reverse is dedicated to the renowned Sfera Grande, one of the artist’s most recognisable works. Characterised by a perfectly smooth and polished outer surface that opens to reveal a complex network of fractures, gears, and internal structures, the sculpture becomes a powerful visual metaphor for the modern world: an apparently harmonious and unified universe that conceals tensions, dynamics, and constant transformation beneath its surface.

The coin captures this complexity through an especially pronounced relief. The reverse design extends beyond the coin’s usual frame, enhancing the sculptural effect and emphasising the three-dimensional character of the artwork. Although struck in a Brilliant Uncirculated finish, selected elements of the design—such as the fractures and internal facets of the sphere—feature a higher degree of polishing, highlighting the contrast between the sphere’s flawless exterior and its intricate inner structure, a hallmark of Pomodoro’s artistic vision.

The sphere series is among the artist’s most celebrated creations: large geometric forms that appear perfect at first glance but open to reveal intricate internal mechanisms, evoking the relationship between order and fragmentation, balance and tension, and between the visible dimension of reality and the deeper forces that shape it. Installed in public squares, museums, and important institutional locations around the world, these sculptures have become enduring symbols of contemporary Italian art.

The “100th Anniversary of the Birth of Sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro” €10 coin, issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and produced by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, was designed by engraver Annalisa Masini and minted at the State Mint’s workshops.

More information and purchasing details for the coins of the 2026 Numismatic Collection of the Italian Republic are available at IPZS Online Shop.