Euro-nly cashing in on thoughts of a bygone Lira

Italy will embrace the Euro with ‘grand gusto’ come January 2002, so to celebrate seeing the back end of all those millions of Lira, it is planning to erect a statue in the currency’s honour.

Italian designers will have to enter a competition to see their ideas become a reality, and in May the winner is announced.

Apparently, initial plans are for a ‘big Lira’ made from melted coins, with an Italian location yet to be decided. The Leaning Tower of Lira, anyone?