Vatican · 100th birthday of John Paul II

Issue date23 Jun 2020

Total mintage79,000

EU maximum101,000

Editions3

Edge lettering2 ★ × 6, alternately upright/inverted

InscriptionPAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II / 1920 2020 / R / CITTA’ DEL VATICANO / G. TITOTTO / M.A.C. INC

DesignerGabriela Titotto (Maria Angela Cassol)

mintInstituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato, Roma

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope John Paul II. The design shows the Pope, his birthplace and the nearby basilica in Wadowice, Poland. The design is complemented by the inscription “PAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II” and the years “1920 2020”.

The design

The design depicts Pope John Paul II, the apartment where he was born, and the basilica near his place of residence in Wadowice, Poland. The inscription “PAPA GIOVANNI PAOLO II” is shown in a semicircle at the upper left. On the right are “1920 2020” and the mint mark “R”. The name of the issuing state, “CITTA’ DEL VATICANO”, is shown in a semicircle along the lower edge. Beneath the image of the basilica are the artist’s name, “G. TITOTTO”, and the engraver’s initials, “M.A.C. INC” (Maria Angela Cassol, engraver).

The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the coin’s outer ring.

Background on the topic

In 1981, he was seriously injured in an assassination attempt on St Peter’s Square. Later, he forgave the perpetrator during a prison visit. Pope Benedict XVI beatified him in 2011, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2014.