The State Mint is one of the first institutions to move to remember the thirty years after the death of the judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. It does this with the new minting of a two-euro coin that reproduces the iconic photo of the two magistrates together, taken by photo journalist Tony Gentile. It was the Mef, Ministry of Economy and Finance, with the decree of October 28, 2021 published on November 9 in the Official Gazette, that gave the green light for the issue of the commemorative coin which will be legal tender from January 2 next. The new coin will carry the writing “Falcone-Borsellino” at the top and under the dates “1992-2022” which commemorate this important anniversary. Between the two dates, respectively of the death of the two magistrates and of the issue of the new coin, the inscription RI, acronym of the Italian Republic. Smaller, on the right the identifier R of the Mint of Rome, on the left the initials VdS of the author of the drawing, Valerio de Seta. Along the circumference of the coin, the 12 representative stars of the European Union.
On the coin, the reproduction of the historic photo of Tony Gentile who "stares" Falcone and Borsellino together
This is yet another trace, which will remain indelible, of one historical photo taken on March 27, 1992. Just before the start of a conference on the mafia and politics in Palermo. And which for the author Tony Gentile represents "the emblem of legality". Just a few days ago at the Caffè Letterario of italiani.it, Gentile explained that the shot of that photo had taken place in a historical moment in which it was perceived how much Falcone and Borsellino were little loved by the city of Palermo. A difficult, critical moment, full of tensions and problems that did not make the two magistrates like "the men who were then perceived after the massacres". A shot born with the idea of having actually caught an important moment. Of sharing and complicity between Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, but also an intimate moment.
The word to the photo journalist Tony Gentile. "I had the perception of having taken a good photo. It was a unique photo, I was aware of this, and for this reason, of the 17 taken that evening it was the only one I had sent to the newspaper. But I never imagined that then things, unfortunately, would go as they actually did. For this reason, for me that photo represents a photo of suffering. In spite of everything". The fact is that the shot fixed a simplicity of gesture between the two judges, a naturalness that made them very similar to all of us. An empathic photo. And perhaps for this very reason that image has become unique and iconic. Because it represents a scene from real life, not only for its author but for the whole of society.
A tribute to two symbols of the fight against the mafia who were also two witnesses of legality
So unique that it becomes an object of inspiration for the new two-euro coin. Which will remember not only two magistrates symbol of the fight against the mafia but also two witnesses of legality. The new currency will be minted by Mint of the State for a total quota, in nominal value, of six million euros, corresponding to three million coins intended for ordinary circulation.
(ph credit image in evidence: page fb Paolo Borsellino, the courage of solitude)
