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50 Lire - Ioannes Paulus II Help Prisoners, Infirms and Poors
| Issuer | Vatican City State |
|---|---|
| Year | 1981 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Lire (50 VAL) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse depicts a central allegorical scene showing Christ flanked by two supplicant figures: a chained prisoner to the left and an emaciated figure to the right, representing the themes of aiding prisoners, the infirm, and the poor. Christ stands in the center behind a large draped form, rendered in a hieratic, bas-relief style evoking Christian iconographic tradition. The denomination 'L. 50' appears in the lower exergue, while the legend 'CITTA DEL VATICANO' is divided along the left and right periphery of the coin. |
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| Mint | R Rome, Italy (476-date) |
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| Additional information |
The 1981 Vatican coinage was issued under the shadow of the May 13th assassination attempt on John Paul II in St. Peter's Square, which left him critically wounded and hospitalized for weeks. The papal theme of charity toward prisoners, the sick, and the poor carried particular weight that year — the Pope himself had become, however briefly, among the vulnerable.
Acmonital, the stainless steel alloy adopted by Italy and Vatican City from the 1950s onward, was chosen for its resistance to wear in active circulation rather than for any symbolic reason.