Vatican

2017 - 2024

Circulation coin

The coat of arms of Pope Francis I.

Official Journal of the European Union

The design features the coat of arms of the Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis. The mintmark ‘R’ appears at the botoom left and the year of issuance ‘2017’ at the bottom right. The coins’ outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

At the request of Pope Francis, the Vatican City coins will no longer show his likeness but his coat of arms from 2017 onwards. This shows a simple episcopal mitre decorated with three bands vertically connected in the centre, representing the unity of the ordained ministry, jurisdiction and teaching authority of the Pope. The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 16:19) symbolize the binding and releasing power of the Pope as successor of Peter. The shield bears the symbol of the Jesuits: a sun with the Christ monogram "IHS", surmounted by a cross of paws. The three nails below symbolise the Jesuit religious vows of voluntary poverty, celibate chastity and obedience. The other symbols resemble those of the archbishop's coat of arms of Bergoglio: the star symbolizes Mary, the tuberose Joseph, the patron saint of the Church. The motto is: "Miserando atque eligendo" ("with mercy and election"). It refers to the vocation of Matthew and comes from a sermon by Beda Venerabilis.

Edge lettering

Designer