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Vatican 2015 Holy Year of Mercy Medal
STLNATS
Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭
A new official medal was issued by the Vatican to commemorate the opening of the "Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy" on December 8th which will run until November 20 of next year. Not being catholic, I don't quite get the extraordinary holy years, but being an avid Vatican medal collector I ordered one which just arrived today. The scan is from the seller.
The medal is 35mm available in both silver and bronze and limited to 20k of each (I think). The obverse has Francis praying before the holy door. The parable of the Good Samaritan is used for the reverse and recalls the year 7 annual medal of Pius XII (1945) using the same theme.
For me, the medals of this pope have ranged from workmanlike but uninspired to awful but this is probably the best of the lot so far. The smaller 35mm size makes the design seem a bit cramped but reasonably and traditionally executed, a significant theme that has prior ties, etc all make it, perhaps not a winner, but a welcome addition. And I really like holy year medals and 2025 (the next "regular" jubilee year) seems a long way away. Just MHO.
The medal is 35mm available in both silver and bronze and limited to 20k of each (I think). The obverse has Francis praying before the holy door. The parable of the Good Samaritan is used for the reverse and recalls the year 7 annual medal of Pius XII (1945) using the same theme.
For me, the medals of this pope have ranged from workmanlike but uninspired to awful but this is probably the best of the lot so far. The smaller 35mm size makes the design seem a bit cramped but reasonably and traditionally executed, a significant theme that has prior ties, etc all make it, perhaps not a winner, but a welcome addition. And I really like holy year medals and 2025 (the next "regular" jubilee year) seems a long way away. Just MHO.
Always interested in St Louis MO & IL metro area and Evansville IN national bank notes and Vatican/papal states coins and medals!
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Comments
Virtus Collection - Renaissance and Baroque Medals
It's interesting to see the Holy Door placed on the obverse with the Pope, leaving the reverse open for a separate design related to the meaning behind this extraordinary Holy Year.
Now that I reread your post I think this makes a lot of sense and represents an interesting/significant innovation. With the annual this year having no papal portrait this has been a good year to collect these things. I certainly like the medal even more now. Thanks.