Italy didn't normally use eagles on it's coinage, but an eagle was used here, to match the "looking similar to the Maria Theresa Thaler" theme the Italians were striving for. A two-headed eagle would have been a better match, but the Italians weren't prepared to go that far.

All their efforts were in vain, though - the Eritrean locals rejected the tallero, preferring the thalers they were familiar with.