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50 Euros - Benedictus XVI Baptism
| Issuer | Vatican City State |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Reverse description | Central composition depicting the Baptism of Jesus Christ, with Saint John the Baptist standing to the right, holding a long reed cross and pouring water over the bowed head of Christ, who kneels at left in the waters of the River Jordan, rendered in stylised waves in the lower field. A dove, symbolising the Holy Spirit, descends from above at the upper centre. The legend CITTA DEL VATICANO arcs around the upper periphery, while the denomination 50 EURO is inscribed in large characters along the lower border, flanked by decorative dots. The mint mark R appears at the left of the central field. |
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| Reverse lettering | CITTA` DEL VATICANO R · 50 EURO · |
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| Additional information |
Issued in the same year Joseph Ratzinger was elected pope — the first German pontiff since Adrian VI in the sixteenth century — this piece commemorates the sacrament of baptism as part of the Vatican's annual gold series tied to Christian theological themes. The 2005 series holds particular weight given it bridges the final months of John Paul II's pontificate and the opening of the Benedictus XVI papacy, making it one of the few Vatican issues to straddle two reigns within a single calendar year.