Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 100 Lire 1970-1977, KM# 122, Vatican City, Pope Paul VI
  • 100 Lire 1970-1977, KM# 122, Vatican City, Pope Paul VI
Description

Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, 1897–1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in August 1978. Succeeding John XXIII, he continued the Second Vatican Council, which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms. He fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches, which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements.

Following the standard procedures that lead to sainthood, Pope Benedict XVI declared that the late pontiff had lived a life of heroic virtue and conferred the title of Venerable upon him on 20 December 2012. Pope Francis beatified him on 19 October 2014 after the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. His liturgical feast was celebrated on the date of his birth on 26 September until 2019 when it was changed to the date of his sacerdotal ordination on 29 May. Pope Francis canonised Paul VI on 14 October 2018.

Engravers: Tommaso Gismondi and Guerino Mattia Monassi

Obverse

Depicts the arms of Pope Paulus VI surrounded by his name in Latin, the year of the reign and the coin's issue date both in Roman numerals. The engravers' names below.

The coat of arms depicts fleur-de-lis and traditional symbols of the papacy (cross keys and tiara). Montini, his family name, literally means, mountain, or coming from the mountain, which suggests the arrangement of the six symbols under the fleur-de-lis.

The papal tiara is a crown that was worn by popes of the Catholic Church from as early as the 8th century to the mid-20th. It was last used by Pope Paul VI in 1963 and only at the beginning of his reign. From 1143 to 1963, the papal tiara was solemnly placed on the pope's head during a papal coronation. The surviving papal tiaras are all in the triple form, the oldest being of 1572, and the others no earlier than 1800.

In ecclesiastical heraldry, papal coats of arms (those of individual popes) and those of the Holy See and Vatican City State include an image of crossed keys to represent the metaphorical keys of the office of Saint Peter, the keys of heaven, or the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, that, according to Roman Catholic teaching, Jesus promised to Saint Peter, empowering him to take binding actions. The keys of heaven or keys of Saint Peter are seen as a symbol of papal authority.

·PAVLVS·VI·P.M. A.XII·MCMLXXIV·
T.GISMONDI
C MONASSI INC

Reverse

Depicts a dove in flight carrying an olive branch with the denomination below.

* CITTA'*DEL* VATICANO
*L.100*

Edge
Characteristics
Material Stainless Steel
Weight 8.1 g
Diameter 27.75 mm
Thickness 2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Coin
Mint
Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute (IPZS)

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Stainless Steel, 8 g, ⌀ 27.75 mm