Vatican · 80th birthday of Pope Benedict XVI

Issue date23 Oct 2007

Total mintage100,000

EU maximum100,000

Editions2

Edge lettering2 ★ × 6, alternately upright/inverted

InscriptionBENEDICTI XVI P.M. AETATIS ANNO LXXX CITTA' DEL VATICANO / R / 2007 / M.C.C. INC. / LONGO

DesignerDaniela Longo (Maria Carmela Colaneri)

mintInstituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato, Roma

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin honours the 80th birthday of Pope Benedict XVI. The design shows a bust of the Pope in left profile, surrounded by the inscription “BENEDICTI XVI P.M. AETATIS ANNO LXXX CITTA' DEL VATICANO”. It also features the mint mark, the engraver’s initials, the artist’s name and the twelve stars of the European flag.

The design

In the centre, a left-facing profile bust of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is depicted. The inscription “BENEDICTI XVI P.M. AETATIS ANNO LXXX CITTA' DEL VATICANO” is engraved around the portrait. On the left, the mintmark “R”, the year of issue “2007” and the engraver’s initials “M.C.C. INC.” are inscribed. The artist’s name “LONGO” appears on the right. The outer coin ring displays the twelve stars of the European flag.

Background on the topic

Joseph Ratzinger was born on 16 April 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria. After the Second World War, he studied philosophy and theology and was ordained a priest in 1951. He subsequently worked as a professor of theology at several German universities. During the Second Vatican Council from 1962 to 1965, he participated as theological adviser to the Archbishop of Cologne, Joseph Frings. His work dealt, among other subjects, with revelation, the Church and the liturgy.

In 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of Munich and Freising and shortly thereafter admitted him to the College of Cardinals (Kardinalskollegium). From 1981, Ratzinger headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Kongregation für die Glaubenslehre) in Rome. This authority is responsible for matters concerning Catholic doctrine and moral teaching. In this capacity, he was one of the closest associates of Pope Johannes Paul II for more than two decades.

After the latter’s death, the conclave elected Joseph Ratzinger pope on 19 April 2005. He adopted the name Benedikt XVI. By his own account, this was a reference both to Pope Benedikt XV., who advocated peace during the First World War, and to Benedikt von Nursia, the founder of the Benedictine monastic tradition and patron saint of Europe.

At the time of the commemorated birthday, Benedikt XVI. had been in office for just under two years. As pope, he was both head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State (Staat Vatikanstadt). Personal anniversaries of the pope’s office and life are therefore suitable occasions for Vatican coin issues: they combine an ecclesiastical event with the state representation of the issuing microstate.

Benedikt XVI. announced his resignation from office in 2013 for reasons of age and health. He subsequently held the title Pope emeritus and lived in the Vatican. He died there on 31 December 2022. His resignation was the first voluntary resignation from office by a pope in several centuries.