A new series of Vatican coins called "Art and faith" has been launched

On March 5, the Holy See will present a new Vatican coin dedicated to the theme "Art and faith". The new collection should be the first in a new numismatic series dedicated to various masterpieces preserved in the center of Catholicism.

The coin was designed in IPZS (Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato) by designer Chiara Principe. On the obverse is the coat of arms of Pope Francis, which shows the papal mitre and crossed keys. On the reverse, you can see the Pieta, a composition by Michelangelo with the figure of the virgin Mary holding the body of Jesus Christ. The 10 Euro copper coin weighs 15 g and has a diameter of 32 mm. its circulation was 43 thousand copies. In 2017, Francis expressed a desire not to depict his portrait on papal coins.

Pieta is a common iconography scene depicting the virgin Mary mourning Christ. The work depicted on the coin was created by a 24-year-old master commissioned by cardinal Jean Bilheres. In 1972, the statue was damaged by the geologist Laszlo Toth, who declared himself the Christ. After restoration, the composition was installed under a protective cap.