Vatican · 550th birthday of Michelangelo

Issue date12 Mar 2026

Total mintage79,000

EU maximum80,000

Editions2

Edge lettering2 ★ × 6, alternately upright/inverted

Inscriptionmichelagniolo / R / D. LONGO / CITTA’ DEL VATICANO / 1475 / 2025

DesignerDaniela Longo

mintInstituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato, Roma

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin marks the 550th birthday of Michelangelo. The design shows the dome of St Peter’s Basilica (Petersdom), which he designed and worked on until his death in 1564, as well as a section of the vault of the Sistine Chapel (Sixtinische Kapelle), which he divided into sections and decorated with frescoes. The design is completed by Michelangelo’s handwritten signature “michelagniolo” and the years “1475” and “2025”.

The design

The coin’s design depicts the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, designed by Michelangelo, who worked on it until his death in 1564. Below it is a section of the vault of the Sistine Chapel, which Michelangelo divided into sections and whose fresco he was responsible for. On the left are Michelangelo’s handwritten signature “michelagniolo”, the letter “R” as the mint mark of the Rome Mint, and the name “D. LONGO” of the coin designer Daniela Longo. The inscription “CITTA’ DEL VATICANO”, indicating the issuing country, is arranged in an arc above the dome. Below it are Michelangelo’s year of birth, “1475”, and the year of issue, “2025”.

The outer ring of the coin depicts the twelve stars of the European flag.

Background on the topic

Michelangelo Buonarroti was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet of the Italian Renaissance. He came from Caprese in Tuscany and was trained in Florence, initially in the workshop of the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. He subsequently came into contact with the circle of the Medici, where he studied ancient sculptures. Above all, he saw himself as a sculptor. His best-known works include the “Pietà” in St. Peter’s Basilica (Petersdom) and the “David” created for Florence.

Several popes commissioned Michelangelo to undertake extensive works in Rome. Pope Julius II entrusted him with painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (Sixtinische Kapelle). The pictorial programme draws on stories from the Book of Genesis, including the Creation of Adam (Erschaffung Adams), and combines them with prophets, sibyls and other figures. Decades later, Michelangelo created The Last Judgment (Jüngste Gericht) on the altar wall of the same chapel. The chapel serves not only for religious services, but also for the conclave (Konklave), at which the cardinals elect a pope.

St. Peter’s Basilica (Petersdom) was built as a new structure on the site of an Early Christian basilica over the traditionally identified tomb of the Apostle Peter. Several architects were involved in its planning in succession, including Donato Bramante and Raffael. Under Pope Paul III, Michelangelo took over supervision of the construction and reorganised the designs, which had previously been altered several times. He reinforced the centrally planned layout and designed the massive tambour as the base for the dome, completed later. After his death, Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana continued the construction project.

The choice of the anniversary by the Vatican City State (Staat Vatikanstadt) is explained by this close connection with the history of papal art and architecture. Michelangelo’s works define two central sites of the Vatican: the Sistine Chapel (Sixtinische Kapelle) as a setting for papal liturgy and the election of the pope, and St. Peter’s Basilica (Petersdom) as the principal church at the tomb of the Apostle Peter. The coin design thus combines painting and architecture, as well as Renaissance art, papal patronage and the institutional history of the Vatican.