1 Cent

The 2001 Vatican euro-cent issues were struck during the sede vacante transition period following preparation for the new coinage under John Paul II, who had formally approved the Vatican's participation in the eurozone. Because Vatican euro coins are produced in strictly limited quantities — distributed primarily through annual collector sets rather than general circulation — even base-denomination pieces from early eurozone years accumulate premiums well out of proportion to their face value. The 2001 issue predates the Vatican's first official circulation release of 2002.