I would like to present to your attention my selection of Vatican coins. The collection is quite small, covering the period from 1929 to 1942. I chose such a time period for myself not by chance, the sculptor Aurelio Mistruzzi was the medalist of Vatican coins in those years. The biblical subjects on the coins of his design are made in great detail and are truly a work of art.
Aurelio Mistruzzi at work.
If you remember, the Papal State formed in the middle of the VIII century, which occupied most of the Apennine Peninsula, was liquidated when the Kingdom of Italy was formed in 1870.
On February 11, 1929, between the Italian government, headed by the notorious Benito Mussolini, and the Holy See, represented by Cardinal Pietro Gasparri, the Lateran Agreements were signed, which resolved the Roman Question and revived the Vatican state in its current form.
So, after a long break, the Vatican in 1929 began issuing its own coins. The first pontiff of the new state was Pope Pius XI, who by that time had already been the supreme ruler of the Holy See since 1922.
Silver coins of the 1929-1937 model in denominations of 5 and 10 lira depict the profile of Pope Pius XI on the obverse and biblical subjects on the reverse. On coins of junior denominations made of base metals, instead of the profile of the pontiff, his coat of arms is depicted.
KM # 2, 10 centesimi 1930, bronze, 90 thousand copies, on the reverse of St. Peter , years of production 1929-1938
KM # 7, 5 lire 1931, silver 0.835, 50 thousand copies, on the reverse of St. Peter in a boat , years of production 1929-1937
1933 year was declared the Vatican anniversary in connection with the 1900th anniversary of the death of Jesus on the cross. A line of jubilee coins was issued, the difference of which from the previous issue only in the date indicated on the coins "1933-1934." Circulation, as usual, is small and does not exceed 100 thousand copies. for a larger circulation. A complete selection of coins from your personal collection.
KM # 11 , 5 centesimi 1933-1934, bronze, 100 thousand copies, only year of manufacture
KM # 12. 10 centesimi 1933-1934, bronze, 90 thousand copies, only year of manufacture
KM # 13. 20 centesimi 1933-1934, nickel, 80 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 14. 50 centesimi 1933-1934, nickel, 80 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 15 , 1 lira 1933-1934, nickel, 80 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 16 , 2 lira 1933-1934, nickel, 50 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 17 , 5 lire 1933-1934, silver 0.835. 50 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 18. 10 lire 1933-1934, silver 0.835. 50 kEq, only year of manufacture
In 1939, Pius XI dies and the Vatican, as before, issues denominations without the name of the Pope, but with a mention of the free Throne (Sede Vacante). The tradition of issuing coins in the "interparty" continues to this day .
KM # 20 , 5 lire 1939, silver 0.835. 40 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 21. 10 lire 1939, silver 0.835. 30 kEq, only year of manufacture
In the same year, 1939, Pope Pius XII was elected to the Holy See, who ruled the Vatican until 1958.
On the coins of the first, pre-war issue, the biblical symbols remained unchanged, the profile of the Pope and, accordingly, his coat of arms changed. The material of billets for 5 and 10 centesimi also changed (aluminum-bronze alloy replaced bronze).
KM # 22, 5 centesimi 1940, aluminum-bronze alloy, 62 thousand equivalent, production years 1939-1941
KM # 23, 10 centesimi 1940, aluminum-bronze alloy, 81 thousand equivalent, production years 1939-1941
KM # 24. 20 centesimi 1939, nickel, 64 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 25. 50 centesimi 1939, nickel, 52 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 26, 1 lira 1939, nickel, 70 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 27, 2 lira 1939, nickel, 40 kEq, single year of manufacture
KM # 28, 5 lire 1940, silver 0.835, 100 thousand copies, years of production 1939-1941
KM # 29, 10 lire 1940, silver 0.835, 10 thousand copies, years of production 1939-1941
Starting in 1940, stainless steel was used instead of nickel to produce denominations of 20 and 50 centesimi, 1 and 2 lira.
KM # 24a, 20 centesimi 1941, stainless steel, 125 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1940,1941
KM # 25a, 50 centesimi 1941, stainless steel, 180 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1940,1941
KM # 26a, 1 lira 1941, stainless steel, 284 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1940,1941
KM # 27a, 2 lira 1941, stainless steel, 270 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1940,1941
During World War II, the Vatican issued coins in a new design that lasted until 1946.
5, 10 centesimi, brass, circulations are extremely small (1-7.5 thousand copies), there are no collections, on the obverse is the profile of the pope, on the reverse is a flying dove with an olive branch - another biblical symbol.
20, 50 centesimi, 1 and 2 lira of 1942 made of stainless steel are not diverse, on the obverse is the coat of arms of the Pope, on the reverse is the virtue "Justice" in the image of a woman with a tablet of laws in one hand and the scales of justice in the other.
KM # 33. 20 centesimi 1942, stainless steel, 125 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1942-1946
KM # 34. 50 centesimi 1942, stainless steel, 180 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1942-1946
KM # 35, 1 lira 1942, stainless steel, 284 thousand copies, years of manufacture 1942-1946
KM # 36, 2 lira 1942, stainless steel, 270 thousand equivalent, years of manufacture 1942-1946
Silver 5 lira and 10 lira circulations of 1942 have 4 thousand copies, the rest of the years have 1 thousand copies, on the obverse is the profile of the pope, on the reverse is the virtue "Love" - a woman surrounded by children.
KM # 37, 5 lire 1942, silver 0.835, 4 thousand copies, production years 1942-1946
In 1951 , Pietro Giampaoli became the Vatican medalist, after whose departure, starting in 1966, the plots on Vatican coins became, although more diverse, but at the same time not always successful artistically. What was the reason, I do not know: either the unsuccessful choice of medallists for the design of issued coins, or the global fashion for minimalism, in which they stopped paying attention to small details, while forgetting about the elementary "similarity" of images to the original object...