Vatican City 1948 100 lire
This specimen was lot 3559 in Sincona sale 43 (Zürich, October 2017), where it sold for 350 CHF (about US$418 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"ITALY | Vatican - Church State, Pius XII. 1939-1958 100 Lire ANNO X/1948. Rom. Vorzüglich. (Vatican City, Pius XII, 1939-58, one hundred lire of 1948, year 10, Rome mint. Extremely fine.)"
Normal relations with the Italian government were not restored until Mussolini signed a concordat in 1929, granting the Pope sovereignty over Vatican City. Coinage began that year, struck at the Rome mint. Coins are issued for the Vatican City in symbolic amounts but as they are eagerly saved as souvenirs by tourists, they are not in short supply for collectors. This type, struck 1942-49 for Pius XII, is common as gold coins go. The lira was retired in 1999 when Italy joined the euro.
Recorded mintage: 5,000.
Specification: 5.19 g, 0.900 fine gold, .150 troy oz AGW, this specimen 5.19 g.
Catalog reference: Pagani 714. Schl. 187. Fr-288; KM-39, Ber-3386.
- 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.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Richter, Jürg, Sincona sale 43, Gold and Silver Coins and Medals, Zürich: Sincona AG, 2017.
Link to:
- 1947 100 lire
- 1949 100 lire
- Coins and currency dated 1948
- return to coins of the Vatican