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Pictures of some Papal medals
Iosephus
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I finally had a chance in the past week to photograph the new Papal medals that I've bought over the past couple of months and I figured I would share them here. For me, half of the fun in collecting them is learning about the history behind what's depicted on the medal, so I've included some background for each medal that I could find information on.
Paul III Year XVI (1549) Bronze Medal, 35 mm diameter
Restoration of Tusculum
From 1519 to 1523, Alessandro Farnese (the future Pope Paul III) was the bishop of the town of Frascati, located about 12.5 miles South-East of Rome. In his third year of being Pope (1537), he decided that the area would be strategic to possess. He claimed the area containing that town to be property of the Apostolic Chamber (it had belonged to the Colonna family) and gave it status as a city. He also gave it the ancient Roman name of Tusculum. Between 1540 and 1549, under his commission, the city was largely renovated with a new urban plan, and the ancient town walls were restored and enlarged. This work is commemorated on this medal, which shows a view of Tusculum, with its urban development, and surrounding restored walls. Above this is the villa of Rufina, which was also part of the land claimed by the Pope. This villa is one of the oldest in the area, built on the remains of an ancient Roman villa suggested to have belonged to the Roman consul Gabinius.
Gregory XIII Bronze Medal (~1580), 38 mm diameter
Remains of St. Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory XIII commissioned the completion of a chapel in St. Peter's Basilica begun by Michelangelo. The chapel was named the Gregorian Chapel in his honor. In 1580, the remains of St. Gregory of Nazianzus were brought to the chapel and placed in an urn underneath the altar.
Alexander VIII Posthumous (1700) Bronze Medal, 64 mm diameter
Tomb of ALexander VIII
Alexander VIII's great-nephew, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, commissioned this tomb monument to be built. The tomb was finally completed in 1725. This medal from 1700 displays an intermediate stage in the design of the tomb and its monument. Carlo Enrico Sanmartino was the designer of the tomb, and its sculptor was Angelo de' Rossi. The tomb bears a great resemblance to, and was inspired by, the tomb monument of Pope Urban VIII, created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The figures standing at the base of the monument in the medal give an idea as to the scale of the tomb.
Benedict XIV Year VI (1746) Bronze Medal, 39 mm diameter
Pius XI Year III (1924) Bronze Medal, 70 mm diameter
Construction of the Oratory of St. Peter's
Reverse Inscription: "The Knights of Columbus at their own expense, founded this Oratory of St. Peter so that they may fulfill the wishes of Pius XI, PM., for the Christian instruction of Roman youth"
On August 28, 1920, a Knights of Columbus delegation visited Pope Benedict XV, who urged them to expand their work to Rome to help curb the Protestant proselytization of the Roman youth. To do this, they decided to open recreation centers for the Roman youth. Benedcit XV was succeeded in 1922 by Pius XI, who thought so highly of the work that he donated a site for the building. The playground was named St. Peter's Oratory, and began its activities in 1923. It was dedicated on April 9, 1924. Pius XI was to dedicate and bless it himself, but was unable to attend since part of it fell onto Italian territory.
Pius XI Year IX (1930) Bronze Medal, 83 mm diameter
First Anniversary of the Establishment of Vatican City
The Latern Treaty of 1929 established and recognized the sovereignty of the Vatican City from Italy. This medal, from 1930, commemorates the first anniversary of this establishment.
Pius XI Year X (1931) Bronze Medal, 70 mm diameter
Restoration of the St. Mary Major Basilica
The Saint Mary Major Basilica (also known as the Liberian Basilica for Pope Liberius, who commissioned it to be built in the mid-fourth century), is one of four major basilicas in Rome. It underwent extensive repairs and restoration of the mosaics of the central nave and triumphal arch during the pontificate of Pius XI. The restoration and conservation was performed under the direction of Biagio Biagetto and Giorgio Pianigiani. The reverse of this medal details these mosaics.
Pius XII Jubilee Year (1950) Annual Bronze Medal, 44 mm diameter
Holy Year of 1950
Jubilee Holy Years are traditionally held every 25 years by the Church. At the beginning of the celebration, the Holy Door at each of the five patriarchal basilicas in Rome atre opened, and are then closed at the end.
Pius XII Jubilee Year (1950) Pewter Medal, 32 mm diameter
Holy Year of 1950
This medal is attached to a suspension loop and yellow and white ribbon (the colors of Vatican City). It shows on the reverse the Pope opening the Holy Door. The Holy Door in St. Peter's would be sealed with bricks, and traditionally opened by the Pope by knocking three times on it with a silver hammer. The masonry would be rigged beforehand to fall in on the third hit.
Paul III Year XVI (1549) Bronze Medal, 35 mm diameter
Restoration of Tusculum
From 1519 to 1523, Alessandro Farnese (the future Pope Paul III) was the bishop of the town of Frascati, located about 12.5 miles South-East of Rome. In his third year of being Pope (1537), he decided that the area would be strategic to possess. He claimed the area containing that town to be property of the Apostolic Chamber (it had belonged to the Colonna family) and gave it status as a city. He also gave it the ancient Roman name of Tusculum. Between 1540 and 1549, under his commission, the city was largely renovated with a new urban plan, and the ancient town walls were restored and enlarged. This work is commemorated on this medal, which shows a view of Tusculum, with its urban development, and surrounding restored walls. Above this is the villa of Rufina, which was also part of the land claimed by the Pope. This villa is one of the oldest in the area, built on the remains of an ancient Roman villa suggested to have belonged to the Roman consul Gabinius.
Gregory XIII Bronze Medal (~1580), 38 mm diameter
Remains of St. Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory XIII commissioned the completion of a chapel in St. Peter's Basilica begun by Michelangelo. The chapel was named the Gregorian Chapel in his honor. In 1580, the remains of St. Gregory of Nazianzus were brought to the chapel and placed in an urn underneath the altar.
Alexander VIII Posthumous (1700) Bronze Medal, 64 mm diameter
Tomb of ALexander VIII
Alexander VIII's great-nephew, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, commissioned this tomb monument to be built. The tomb was finally completed in 1725. This medal from 1700 displays an intermediate stage in the design of the tomb and its monument. Carlo Enrico Sanmartino was the designer of the tomb, and its sculptor was Angelo de' Rossi. The tomb bears a great resemblance to, and was inspired by, the tomb monument of Pope Urban VIII, created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The figures standing at the base of the monument in the medal give an idea as to the scale of the tomb.
Benedict XIV Year VI (1746) Bronze Medal, 39 mm diameter
Pius XI Year III (1924) Bronze Medal, 70 mm diameter
Construction of the Oratory of St. Peter's
Reverse Inscription: "The Knights of Columbus at their own expense, founded this Oratory of St. Peter so that they may fulfill the wishes of Pius XI, PM., for the Christian instruction of Roman youth"
On August 28, 1920, a Knights of Columbus delegation visited Pope Benedict XV, who urged them to expand their work to Rome to help curb the Protestant proselytization of the Roman youth. To do this, they decided to open recreation centers for the Roman youth. Benedcit XV was succeeded in 1922 by Pius XI, who thought so highly of the work that he donated a site for the building. The playground was named St. Peter's Oratory, and began its activities in 1923. It was dedicated on April 9, 1924. Pius XI was to dedicate and bless it himself, but was unable to attend since part of it fell onto Italian territory.
Pius XI Year IX (1930) Bronze Medal, 83 mm diameter
First Anniversary of the Establishment of Vatican City
The Latern Treaty of 1929 established and recognized the sovereignty of the Vatican City from Italy. This medal, from 1930, commemorates the first anniversary of this establishment.
Pius XI Year X (1931) Bronze Medal, 70 mm diameter
Restoration of the St. Mary Major Basilica
The Saint Mary Major Basilica (also known as the Liberian Basilica for Pope Liberius, who commissioned it to be built in the mid-fourth century), is one of four major basilicas in Rome. It underwent extensive repairs and restoration of the mosaics of the central nave and triumphal arch during the pontificate of Pius XI. The restoration and conservation was performed under the direction of Biagio Biagetto and Giorgio Pianigiani. The reverse of this medal details these mosaics.
Pius XII Jubilee Year (1950) Annual Bronze Medal, 44 mm diameter
Holy Year of 1950
Jubilee Holy Years are traditionally held every 25 years by the Church. At the beginning of the celebration, the Holy Door at each of the five patriarchal basilicas in Rome atre opened, and are then closed at the end.
Pius XII Jubilee Year (1950) Pewter Medal, 32 mm diameter
Holy Year of 1950
This medal is attached to a suspension loop and yellow and white ribbon (the colors of Vatican City). It shows on the reverse the Pope opening the Holy Door. The Holy Door in St. Peter's would be sealed with bricks, and traditionally opened by the Pope by knocking three times on it with a silver hammer. The masonry would be rigged beforehand to fall in on the third hit.
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Marcel
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Really like the Pius XI restoration of S. Maria Maggiora. The larger flan shows off the skills of the design. It almost looks like you're there!
I also like the holy year designs and the bronze 1950 medal is a fine example.
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Tom, formerly in Albuquerque, NM.
<< <i>At what point did these medals move from being cast to being struck? >>
I'm not exactly sure. I read that striking became the preferred method around the mid-1500's, but some large medals were still cast.
Virtus Collection - Renaissance and Baroque Medals
According to Roma Resurgens, "the greater practicality of striking destined this method to replace casting in the second half of the sixteenth century." Most medals encountered today from this period are restrikes so its unusual to see fine casts.
In order to finish the medals properly, a great deal of work was required to produce a fine product after casting. Even thru the end of the Baroque period casting was used for large medals which, according to RR again "by which time a hand wrought quality conveyed prestige as struck pieces began to drift toward mass producion."
I nominate this post for DPOTD.
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Thanks for sharing!