Catalog
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| Issuer | Vatican City |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | The papal coat of arms is displayed centrally within an ornate cartouche, featuring a pelican feeding its young above three hills emerging from water, flanked by elaborate scrollwork with tassels. Above the shield, the papal tiara surmounts the crossed keys of St. Peter. The circumferential legend reads PIVS XII PONTIF EX MAXIMVS A I, with the date 1939 divided at the base of the design in the exergue area. The overall composition reflects the high-relief Baroque heraldic style typical of Vatican coinage of this period. |
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| Obverse lettering | PIVS·XII·PONTIF EX·MAXIMVS·A·I 19 39 |
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| Additional information |
Pius XII was elected on 2 March 1939 — his coronation coins were being prepared as German troops were already massing on the Polish border. This issue belongs to his first year coinage series, struck before the Vatican's wartime production contraction forced significant reductions in both metal quality and mintage across subsequent years.