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20 Francs Pope Ioannes Paulus II
| Issuer | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Year | 2003 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.244 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A three-quarter length portrait of Pope John Paul II dominates the field, depicted wearing his pontifical vestments and mitre. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, while his left hand holds a papal ferula (crozier). The curved legend 25éme Anniversaire de la Nomination arcs along the upper periphery, flanked by the dates 1978-2003 to the right. The inscription PAPE JEAN PAUL II and the year 2003 appear in the lower field beneath the effigy. |
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| Additional information |
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has a long history of issuing commemorative gold and silver pieces with no meaningful domestic circulation, functioning essentially as a bullion and collector vehicle for the international market. This John Paul II issue appeared two years before his death in April 2005, during a period when his declining health from Parkinson's disease was already dominating Vatican coverage worldwide.
At 1.244 grams of .9999 fine gold, the piece conforms to a fractional format produced by a handful of mints servicing small-nation licensing arrangements throughout the 1990s and 2000s.