The brutality of the Camorra in 1920s Naples is brought to life on the Mint of Gdańsk’s latest silver coin

It’s a common misconception, no doubt a result of their popularity in modern media, that all the Italian organised crime gangs are the Mafia. That isn’t the case by a long way, a with that group having its origins in Sicily, being more correctly known as La Cosa Nostra. There are many others, and Mafia has become a kind of catch-all name for organised crime groups. In Italy, there are many groups, with the most powerful being the Calabria-based ‘Ndrangheta, and the Camorra, based in Campania.

The latest true crime coin emanates from the Mint of Gdańsk, and is the first issue in a new series called ‘Gangs’. It features the Camorra gangs of the 1920s, and depicts a dramatic street scene, typical of the gang’s actions in the period, where overt violence was more prevalent than it is today. The antiqued, three-ounce coin is packed with period details.

The posing of the figures looks good, with the clothing hanging on them naturally. The car and motorcycle are nicely done, and the cobbled street setting an appropriate one. High-relief looks to be well employed to give the scene suitable depth, and the colouring is subtle, and well constrained. The case is rose gilded, and there are two ‘bullet’ holes passing through the coin, although these look more optimised for the obverse, with regard to placement.

The obverse is an excellent one, in my view, overlaid with the sight lines of a sniper scope, and targeted at a shady group standing outside a building’s imposing facade. The holes here are enhanced to make them look like bullet exit damage. Everything looks correct, and the perspective is expertly realised. A fine scene. The coin comes boxed with a hologram adorned Certificate of Authenticity, and just 200 of these 3oz coins will be struck. Available to order now, this looks to be a cool debut for the series.