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Ten years from the passage that seemed to many epochal, there are still around 2,500 billion lire. But the currency - since March 1st, 2002, can no longer be used for any kind of purchases - is going to say definitely goodbye. From 1st March 2012, in fact, it will retire and it can not be changed even in the branches of the Bank of Italy. So, what to do with your "lira"? Hurry to retrieve and change those precious notes or to decide giving it to charity.

The important thing is not to waste other time because even if we decide to use in some way that money after 1st March 2012 we could not do anything but put them under glass, hoping to acquire value in the future. The Bank of Italy estimates that the dear old currency would still be in the hands of some nostalgic, some collectors and especially of many unaware owners. Maybe the closet or drawer aren't opened since ten years and the boxes have been moved over there the last time at least nine years ago. Longer enough not to ask anymore if there's still something important in it. Maybe inside there is still one of those old piggy banks, when the small coins had an important value for children at home. It's time to break it and change the money are inside: 1 billion 300 million (in pounds) are still hidden somewhere. Among the banknotes the most wanted is the thousand lire banknotes with 196.2 million pieces equivalent to 196 billion lire, followed by 12 million pieces of 100 000 lire for a total of 1,190 billion lire. Then there are 300 thousand of 500.000 banknotes (equal to 150billons of Lira), 40.6 million pieces of 10 thousand lire, 30.9 million of 5 thousand lire banknotes and 21.6 million pieces of 2 thousand lire hidden somewhere.
So, what to do with those money? Until 28th February 2012 you can exchange this money in the branches of the Bank of Italy: now in each of the 55 treasuries of the Bank of Italy over the national territory they are changing lire for 200 euro per day. At this rate at the end of January 31 they would lead to convert about 10 million euros. Very little compared to the large amount of lire still available. For many, then, could be much more comfortable to take that sum of money in one of the closest among the 18 thousand branches of various banks participating in the campaign "The Last Lira", promoted by Prosolidar, the National Fund of the credit sector for Solidarity projects with Emergency, the Vatican Library, Terre des Hommes and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The money collected by January 31, 2012, will be used to support the pediatric center of Emergency in Bangui, Central African Republic, to provide care for children up to 14 years; to help UNHCR to carry water, food and basic necessities in addition to medical care to thousands of people fleeing a terrible famine that is affecting Somalia; to support the Houses of the Sun of Terre des Hommes, which provide protection from violence, food and medical care to over 3000 children in seven different countries; to support the project of the Vatican Library to allocate the ancient Sistine Hall with a new reading room and to help Prosolidar giving back to the city of Naples the goods seized to the organized crime to be used for social purposes. Simply put these notes in an envelope and deliver them at the cash desks of the nearest bank.
The catchy slogan of this fundraising says:"It does not cost a euro". After all, if we did not use it until now, it won't cost us anything to get rid of these money and help the old beloved Lira to have the last chance before retiring.

Marianna Lepore