Vatican · Sede Vacante MMXIII

Issue date3 Jun 2013

Total mintage125,000

EU maximum125,000

Editions3

Edge lettering2 ★ × 6, alternately upright/inverted

InscriptionCITTÀ DEL VATICANO / SEDE VACANTE MMXIII

DesignerPatrizio Daniele (Maria Carmela Colaneri)

mintInstituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato, Roma

Issue occasion

The coin commemorates the vacancy of the Holy See in 2013. The design shows the coat of arms of the Cardinal Camerlengo, above it the emblem of the Apostolic Camera, as well as two small crosses. It also features the inscriptions “CITTÀ DEL VATICANO” and “SEDE VACANTE MMXIII”, as well as the twelve stars of the European flag.

The design

The inner part of the coin depicts the coat of arms of the Cardinal Camerlengo and, above it, the emblem of the Apostolic Camera, with two small crosses, the inscription “CITTÀ DEL VATICANO” on the left and “SEDE VACANTE MMXIII” on the right.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring of the coin.

Background on the topic

The sede vacante began on 28 February 2013 when the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI (Benedikt XVI) took effect. He had declared that he no longer had the strength to exercise the office. A papal resignation was provided for under canon law, but was historically extremely rare; most recently, Gregory XII (Gregor XII) had renounced the papal office in 1415. The vacancy ended on 13 March 2013 with the election of the Argentine cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who took the papal name Francis (Franziskus).

During a sede vacante, the Pope’s governing powers are suspended. The College of Cardinals may deal only with ongoing and urgent matters and may not take decisions reserved for the future Pope. At the same time, the cardinals prepare the conclave in which the successor is elected. Since the Pope is also head of state of Vatican City, the change of office affects not only the Catholic Church but also the state order of the Vatican City State.

The Camerlengo, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone in 2013, assumes specified administrative duties during this transitional period. In particular, he administers the temporal goods and rights of the Holy See, without thereby acquiring the papal authority. In the event of a vacancy caused by the death of the Pope, the official ascertainment of death is also one of his traditional duties; in 2013, however, the vacancy began with a resignation.

The symbol of the Apostolic Camera consists of the crossed keys of Saint Peter and an umbrella, the so-called ombrellino. During the period without a Pope, it serves as a heraldic emblem and then appears together with the personal coat of arms of the Camerlengo.

The coin issue followed the Vatican tradition of documenting sede vacante periods through dedicated coinage. The 2013 case provided a special occasion for this, because the vacancy had arisen not through the death of a Pope but through a rare resignation from office. In this way, a clearly defined ecclesiastical and state transitional period was recorded numismatically.