Pope Potpourri

harasha

Three recent acquisitions:

Learned a lesson with this one -


Apparently, an official Pius XII


Looks more like a souvenir medal than anything official. There is a monogram on the obverse which could be CC.

Iosephus

Nice to see some new papals.

The third one you posted is noted as being "of recent coinage" and part of a small series on popes of the 20th century.

TwoKopeiki

Awesome papal medals, Harasha! I've always enjoyed these designs

Zohar

Great!

petronius

<< <i>Apparently, an official Pius XII >>


Yes, your second is the official annual medal for the fourth year (1942) of the pontificate of Pius XII. It's also available in gold (very rare, very expensive) and silver. On reverse three angels flying over the dome of St. Peter's Church.

If you allow me, a few words about the author, Aurelio Mistruzzi, one of the greatest Italian engravers of the last century.

He was born in 1880, and although he took a diploma of agricultural surveyor, he felt an irresistible impulse towards art, which led him to attend the Academy of Brera (Milan) and Venice.
Came to Rome, he turned to sculpture, in which he had a good reputation. Although not a professional coin engraver, he was chosen by competitive examination to achieve the 1922 annual medal of Pope Benedict XV. From then on, until his death, Aurelio Mistruzzi made ​​all official medals of the Vatican, and also designed the first coins of the new state, from 1929.
Linked by a sincere and personal friendship with Pius XI, in 1932 obtained by the Pope the appointment to perpetual "engraver of the Sacred Apostolic Palace". He was the last artist to hold that office.
After the World War II, his mood is slightly clouded , but remained at high levels.
It is said that Mistruzzi received the last sacrament on his death bed by Pope John XXIII in person. It was Christmas Eve 1960.

Really a beautiful medal and an excellent purchase, congrats harasha

petronius