Morricone coins are set to become collectors' items.

Italy has created a special €5 coin dedicated to the Oscar-winning Italian composer Ennio Morricone who died in Rome last summer.

The limited-edition coin, issued by Italy's ministry of economy and finance on 15 June, features a portrait of Morricone as well as an image of the maestro's hands in the act of conducting.

• Ennio Morricone dies in Rome

Designed by Maria Angela Cassol, the coin comes in two versions: one silver with a circulation of 8,000, the other bimetallic with a circulation of 10,000 coins.

Morricone wrote the soundtracks for over 500 films and television series, starting with the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone, such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

• Ennio Morricone wrote his own obituary

In 2016 he won an Oscar for best original score for his soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's movie The Hateful Eight at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Morricone, who spent his entire life in Rome, was nominated for an Oscar five times and in 2007 he received an Honorary Academy Award for his contribution to film music.

• Covid-19: Italy dedicates special €2 coin to frontline health workers

He is best known for composing soundtracks to films such as Once Upon A Time in America and The Mission.

The coin dedicated to Morricone is part of Italy's 'Great Italian Artists' series. Full details can be found on the Italian mint website.