A hand gently holding ears of grain on the 500 lire of 1998 stands for 20 years of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialised agency of the United Nations headquartered in Rome.

The fund grew out of the decisions of the 1974 World Food Conference and was established in December 1977. Its mission is to fight poverty and hunger in the rural areas of developing countries, and it is the only multilateral development organisation working exclusively on rural economies and food security. On the coin the anniversary is marked by the dates «1978» and «1998».

The reverse is by Luciana De Simoni: above the hand with the grain rises a solar disc, while stylised ears of wheat form the number «20». The obverse bears Laura Cretara’s winged head of the Republic, shared by the bimetallic 500 lire.

It belongs in collections on international organisations and the UN, on agriculture and, of course, among the commemorative bimetallic 500 lire of the 1990s.

UNC grade: the coin has never circulated, shows no wear and keeps its mint lustre; only minor marks from storage in bank bags are permitted.

A collection can grow in any direction, and the VPcoins catalogue has options for each of them.