Paul III — Alessandro Farnese — was elected in 1534 after years as a cardinal whose advancement had been openly tied to his sister Giulia's relationship with Alexander VI. That personal history did nothing to diminish his authority; he convened the Council of Trent in 1545 and issued the papal bull authorizing the Jesuit order in 1540. The giulio itself was a denomination established under Julius II in the early sixteenth century, named for him, and by Paul's reign had become the backbone of papal silver coinage.
The sword-on-shoulder variant distinguishes this type within Berman's cataloging from the arm-extended version, a die distinction with genuine collector significance rather than mere academic interest.
Paul III — Alessandro Farnese — was elected in 1534 after years as a cardinal whose advancement had been openly tied to his sister Giulia's relationship with Alexander VI. That personal history did nothing to diminish his authority; he convened the Council of Trent in 1545 and issued the papal bull authorizing the Jesuit order in 1540. The giulio itself was a denomination established under Julius II in the early sixteenth century, named for him, and by Paul's reign had become the backbone of papal silver coinage.
The sword-on-shoulder variant distinguishes this type within Berman's cataloging from the arm-extended version, a die distinction with genuine collector significance rather than mere academic interest.