Local Storage seems to be disabled in your browser.
For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Local Storage in your browser.
1933-1934 Vatican City Jubilee Gold Coins from a Spectacular Hoard of European Coins
By GovMint
Dual-dated 1933/1934 Vatican City Jubilee gold coins are among the most pivotal Christian coins issued in the 20th century. Today we’ll be discussing specimens that originate from a spectacular hoard of over 1,000 European gold coins, known as the Chamberlain Gold Reserve. Learn more about this fascinating vintage issue from Vatican City, below!
The Center of Catholicism: Vatican City
The Vatican City State is a sovereign country located in Rome, Italy. It was established as an independent state in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty that was signed by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the Pope Pius XI that year. To lay the groundwork for this new independence, the Pope approved the Vatican’s first gold coins series the same year. It was denominated as 100 Lire and featured the Pope’s image on the obverse and a handsome, full-body depiction of Jesus on the reverse.
Vatican City is only about 121 acres and, as of 2023, had a population of around 764, making it the smallest state in the world according to both population and area. It is governed by the Holy See and is considered a sacerdotal-monarchical state ruled by the Pope, who is the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Jubilee and the Pilgrimage to Vatican City
In the Catholic faith, a Jubilee is a special year where sins and debts may be forgiven and universal pardons, also known as plenary indulgences, are granted. This tradition dates to 1300 when Pope Boniface VIII declared a holy year, with Jubilees observed every 25 or 50 years after that.
In the 20th century, Jubilees were observed in 1925 and 1933, marking the 1900th anniversary of the traditional year of Jesus’s death and resurrections), 1950, 1966, 1975, 1983, and 2000.
The next Jubilee will be held in 2025.
Catholic Jubilee Gold Coin Series / Dual Date 1933-1934 100 Lire Pope Pius XI
The first iteration of this series was issued under Pope Pius from 1929 to 1935, and it paid homage to the Christian Jubilee celebrations. Certain specimens were dual-dated 1933/1934 to not only celebrate the ongoing jubilee, but to also mark the 1900th anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection according to the Catholic faith.
Intricate Christian Designs by a Famed Italian Sculptor
The obverse and reverse were designed by famed Italian designer and sculptor Aurelio Mistruzzi, who was well-known for his bronzes and medals
The obverse features a regal depiction of Pope Pius XI with the Latin inscriptions PIVS XI (Pius XI) PONT MAX (Pontificus Maximus) ANNO IVB (Latin reference to “Jubilee Year”).
On the reverse, you’ll find a poignant image of Jesus Christ holding a scepter in one hand and a globus crucifier in the other. A small child kneels at his feet, grasping a crown. The date, denomination, and inscription STATO DELLA CITTA’ DEL VATICANO (Vatican City State) appear along the rim.
Tumultuous Year in World History
The Vatican’s Jubilee gold coin series was struck from 1929 to 1935, a pivotal and particularly chaotic part of world history. These coins were issued during the Great Stock Market crash of 1929, the subsequent Great Depression, and the attempted assassination of Italy’s Crown Prince in 1929. This was also the period when the Nazi party and Adolph Hitler rose to power in 1933 and fascist dictator Benito Mussolini further secured his grip on Italy.
The Chamberlain Gold Reserve: A Spectacular Hoard of Over 1,000+ European Gold Coins
The Jubilee gold coins we’re highlighting here today originated from a large hoard of European gold coins stored in a vault in Western Europe that included specimens from Italy, France, Great Britain, South Africa, Vatican City, Austria, and Bulgaria, known as the Chamberlain Gold Reserve.
Chamberlain Pedigree and Dazzling 99.9% Fine Gold Certification Labels
Coins from this hoard are available certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC). Due to the size and importance of this impressive hoard, a special pedigree was given to it – the Chamberlain Gold Reserve. The term Chamberlain refers to the treasurer of a government or corporation or the officer who managed aristocratic households. This pedigree is available proudly displayed within the NGC capsule on a special label made from 1 gram of 99.9% fine pure gold – a nod to the fact that the hoard was made up of gold coinage.
Thanks to their bold Christian designs, the novelty of being some of the first legal tender coins ever issued by Vatican City, and the chaotic time they were issued, these Jubilee gold coins are some of the most pivotal Christian coinage of the 20th century.
© 2024 Copyright GovMint.com. All Rights Reserved. GovMint.com does not sell coins and numismatics as investments, but rather as collectibles. Please review GovMint’s Terms and Conditions, Terms of Use and Privacy Policy before using this website and prior to purchasing from GovMint.com.
Related Products
