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One of the world's most recognizable firearms manufacturers has just entered the world of numismatics. Italy has commemorated Beretta's 500th anniversary with an official 5-euro coin, featuring one ounce of silver, a Proof finish, and a mintage of only 7,000 pieces.
The coin's appeal extends far beyond collecting: it features the company's historic headquarters alongside a reverse dominated by its famous three-arrow emblem. This image is also very familiar to the Spanish public, especially among hunting enthusiasts, sport shooters, and collectors of historical firearms.
And behind the issue lies a story that's hard to beat as a starting point: it all began in 1526 with an order for arquebus cannons paid for with 296 ducats. Five centuries later, that surname returns, transformed into a coin.
Obverse and reverse of the Italian 5 euro coin commemorating the 500th anniversary of Beretta. Image: IPZS – Zecca dello Stato.
From 296 ducats to a 5 euro coin
From 296 ducats to a 5 euro coin
The documented history of Beretta begins on October 3, 1526. On that day, master gunsmith Bartolomeo Beretta, of Gardone Val Trompia, received 296 ducats for supplying 185 arquebus barrels to the Venetian Arsenal. The original invoice is still preserved in the State Archives of Venice and serves, in practice, as the company's founding document.
What's exceptional isn't just the age of that document. The business has continued for fifteen generations of the same family, making Beretta one of the oldest manufacturing companies still in operation. This continuity explains why Italy has chosen to treat the anniversary as a significant event in its national industrial history, rather than simply a commercial milestone.
Detail of the document dated October 3, 1526, detailing Bartolomeo Beretta's transaction with the Venetian Arsenal. Image: Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta.
A brand that is also recognized by the Spanish public
Beretta needs little introduction in Spain. Its name is primarily associated with hunting and competition shotguns, although the company also manufactures pistols and rifles. Even those unfamiliar with these fields may recognize the name from popular culture, film, or widely used models such as the Beretta 92 pistol, introduced in 1975 and adopted a decade later by the United States Armed Forces in its 92FS version.
Therefore, this is not a brand born around airgun replicas, although such products exist under license. Its international renown stems from five centuries of firearms manufacturing. It is precisely this recognition that makes this coin an issue capable of appealing to audiences who rarely pause for a numismatic novelty.
The historic Beretta building, shown on the obverse
The obverse features the historic Beretta headquarters in Gardone Val Trompia, a town in the province of Brescia closely linked for centuries to metallurgy and arms manufacturing. The vegetation surrounding the building incorporates green, a detail that breaks the uniform tone of the silver and gives the coin a very different appearance from that of a circulating coin.
Below the structure appears the name of the town and, to the right, the signature of the artist, Emanuele Ferretti. The outer ring reads "REPUBBLICA ITALIANA" (Italian Republic). It is an institutional, almost architectural design that presents Beretta as industrial heritage before revealing the brand's visual identity on the other side.
The historic Beretta headquarters features prominently on the obverse, accompanied by colorful plant motifs. Image: IPZS – Zecca dello Stato.
Three arrows and a motto with history
The reverse is the most recognizable side of the coin. In its center appears the official Beretta logo: three arrows striking three circles, accompanied by the motto "Dare in Brocca," an Italian expression meaning "to hit the target." The idea was conceived in 1923 by the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio and became the company's official emblem in 1949.
The symbol is surrounded by a vegetal decoration inspired by the ornamental engravings that traditionally adorn the highest-ranking coats of arms. The outer ring features the value "5 EURO", the inscription "CINQUECENTESIMO ANNIVERSARIO", and the "R" mark of the Rome Mint.
The emblem of the three arrows occupies the center of a reverse inspired by the ornamental tradition of the gunsmith's house. Image: IPZS – Zecca dello Stato.
One ounce of silver and only 7,000 copies
The coin is minted in 999 fine silver, weighs 31.104 grams —practically one troy ounce—and measures 37.2 millimeters in diameter. It is presented in Proof quality, with a presentation case, and its worldwide mintage is limited to 7,000 units.
Although its face value is 5 euros and it is part of the official Italian numismatic collection, it was not created for circulation. The Italian Mint's shop offers it for 140 euros, a price explained by its silver content, special finish, presentation, and limited availability. Its official issue date was September 16, 2026, and at the time of writing, it was still listed as available.
Country Italy
Reason 500th anniversary of Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta
Year 2026
Face value 5 euros
Metal 999/1000 silver
Weight 31,104 g
Diameter 37.2 mm
Quality Proof
Print run 7,000 copies
Author Emanuele Ferretti
Mint State Zecca, Rome
Legend of the song «.˙. 1526 · : BERETTA : · 2026»
Date of issue September 16, 2026
Official price 140 euros
A coin destined to leave the numismatic circle
The combination is unusual: an internationally recognized brand, a significant anniversary, a history that can be traced back to a five-century-old document, and a limited mintage. This allows the piece to appeal to coin collectors as well as enthusiasts of industrial history, hunting, or sport shooting.
In 1526, the name Beretta appeared on a bill for 296 ducats for 185 arquebus barrels. In 2026, it appears on the edge of a 5-euro coin. Between these two objects lie exactly five hundred years and one of the best-documented business histories in Europe.
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