Vatican City: New €100 gold coin highlights the Second Vatican Council, Nostra Aetate

The Vatican State Mint has released their latest €100 gold coin, which is dedicated this year to the Second Vatican Council Declaration, Nostra Aetate, translated from the Latin meaning “In Our Time” and published in 1965. The document expressed the Catholic Church’s openness to the knowledge of other religious traditions and affirmed that all humankind, without distinction, originates from God. Passed by a wide majority of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated in October 1965 by Pope Paul VI; the work is entitled from the Incipit or, first words of the text, and formalised an expanded dialogue and respect toward the major non-Christian religions of the world: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

The Second Vatican Council was converged by His Holiness Pope Paul VI after having taken part in a historic summit the year previously where he and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Athenagoras, spiritual leader of the Orthodox Church, met in Jerusalem. The meeting between the leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox Church, for all intents and purposes, ended the schism which existed for almost a thousand years. It was during this summit of the two sister churches that Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras lifted the mutual excommunications of 1054 in a symbolic gesture representing the desire of both churches to pursue reunion and dialogue.

The theme for the new €100 gold coin is inspired by the story of the centurion Cornelius, the first Roman to convert to Christianity, and Simon Peter, the fisherman, later Saint Peter the Apostle. 

The coins are produced by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato Italiano (IPZS) at their facilities in Rome on behalf of the Treasury Department of the Vatican City State. Artist Orietta Rossi’s design focuses on the theme of Saint Peter’s dream and inspiration from the New Testament (Acts 10:1-33). At the centre of the coin, we see the two standing figures, Simon Peter, the fisherman on the left and the centurion Cornelius, the first Roman to convert to Christianity, on the right. In the background is a large sheet tied in all four corners with rope and held up by a divine hand from above with all kinds of animals, as revealed in Peter’s vision and in response to God’s order to slaughter and eat them. Above the primary design is the text CITTA DEL VATICANO. To the lower right of Cornelius is the denomination 100 EURO, and to the lower left of Saint Peter is the text NOSTRA AETATE. The obverse side of the coin includes common elements of the Papal crest of His Holiness Pope Francis, depicting the papal mitre and crossed keys. Above the crest is the legend FRANCISCUS PP. A XI MMXXIII (“Francis Pope and Pontiff year 11 2023”). The papal motto MISERANDO ATQUE ELIGENDO of His Eminence (“by having mercy, by choosing him”) is shown below the crest. 

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Maximum Mintage
100 euro	.917 Gold	30 g	35 mm	Proof	799

Each Proof coin is individually encapsulated and presented in a Vatican City State Mint branded custom case accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. For additional information about these coins and other coins available from the Vatican City State Mint, please visit their website.

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