Catalog
1500 Francs CFA Canonization John XXIII
| Issuer | Burkina Faso |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1500 Francs CFA |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | REPUBLIQUE DU BURKINA FASO BURKINA FASO Unité Progrès Justice 1500 FRANCS CFA |
| Reverse description | A detailed portrait of Pope Saint John XXIII is shown from the shoulders upward, facing slightly left, wearing his papal vestments and white skullcap. His papal coat of arms appears in the upper left field. The composition is framed by an elaborate decorative border of foliage, fruit, and floral motifs at the top, while winged angelic figures flank the portrait on either side. The inscription ST. JOHN XXIII / CANONIZATION arcs across the upper field, and the canonization date 27.04.2014 is inscribed to the right. The silver content designation 1.5 OZ AG.999 appears along the lower left edge of the design. |
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| Additional information |
John XXIII was canonized on April 27, 2014, alongside John Paul II — the first time in modern history two popes were declared saints simultaneously. Burkina Faso, like several small West African states, has issued commemorative coinage through external licensing arrangements, and pieces of this type are produced for the collector market rather than domestic circulation. The country has no meaningful distribution infrastructure for such issues locally.
John XXIII died in 1963; his canonization came over fifty years later, delayed in part because the Vatican's verification process required a confirmed second miracle, which was not formally recognized until 2013.