Vatican City 1941 5 centesimi

from the Tom Fitzgerald Collection

Heritage sale 3073, part of lot 33801

This type was issued 1939-41 for Pius XII, the second pope to rule over the newly independent Vatican City. It is scarce as the Rome mint had little resources to mint coins in the middle of World War Two. The second specimen was part of lot 33801 in Heritage sale 3073 (Chicago, April 2019), which sold for $960. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Pius XII 9-Piece Uncertified Mint Set Anno III (1941) UNC, 1) 5 Centesimi, KM22; 2) 10 Centesimi, KM23; 3) 20 Centesimi, KM24a; 4) 50 Centesimi, KM25a; 5) Lira, KM26a; 6) 2 Lire, KM27a; 7) 5 Lire, KM28; 8) 10 Lire, KM29; 9) gold 100 Lire, KM30.2. AGW 0.1502 oz.; KM-MS25. Mintage: 2000 Sets. A beautiful and choice set, the 5 and 10 Lire mottled with a pleasing russet cabinet tone. Sold as is, no returns. From the Engelen Collection of World Coinage."

Recorded mintage: 5,000.

Specification: 2.95 g, aluminum bronze, 19.5 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Mont-640, KM 22, Ber-3385.

Source:

• Berman, Allen G., Papal Coins, South Salem, NY: Attic Books, 1991.
• Gigante, Fabio, Gigante 2016: Catalogo Nazionale delle Monete Italiano Dal '700 All'Euro, 24a ed. Varese, Italy, 2015.
• Montenegro, Eupremio, Montenegro 2015: Manuale del Collezionista di Monete Italiane, 30 ed., Torino, Italy: Montenegro s.a.s., 2014.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3073, featuring the Lake County Collection of British coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019

Link to:

• 1940 5 centesimi
• 1941 10 centesimi
• 1941 20 centesimi
• 1941 50 centesimi
• 1941 lira
• 1941 2 lire
• 1941 5 lire
• 1941 10 lire
• 1941 100 lire
• 1942 5 centesimi
• Coins and currency dated 1941
• return to coins of the Vatican