10 Liras Life of Pope John Paul II - John Paul II

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta retains the legal standing to issue coinage despite holding no contiguous territory — its sovereignty is recognized by over 100 states, grounded in customary international law rather than any physical domain. This 2005 issue was released in the year of John Paul II's death, one of dozens of commemorative pieces flooding the numismatic market that year from minor issuing authorities worldwide.

SMOM issues of this period were produced primarily for collectors and carry essentially no circulation history. The 31.1g specification — identical to a troy ounce — is a deliberate nod to bullion convention despite the copper-nickel composition.