Vatican City’s 50-Euro Gold Coin Wins the Best Gold Coin Award

For the first time, Vatican City has won the Best Gold Coin award in the prestigious international Coin of the Year (COTY) competition. The winning coin is the 50-euro gold issue, released by the Governorate in 2024 on the theme “War and Peace.”

The artwork is by Chiara Principe, a young artist from Rome who for years has created images for the Governorate's Vatican numismatic collections.

On the obverse of the coin is inscribed:

ANNO XII CP FRANCISCVS PP

IHS MISERANDO ATQUE ELIGENDO MMXXIV

On the reverse are depicted: on one side, an olive branch with an adult and a little girl holding a flower; on the other, barbed wire and a man holding an automatic rifle, with a column of smoke in the background symbolizing the destruction caused by war. It bears the inscription: Città del Vaticano and the value 50 euro.

The award ceremony took place on Thursday, August 21, at the Oklahoma City Convention Center in Oklahoma City, in the United States. It is the third time that the event has been held in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money.

Earlier this year, an international call for submissions was launched which resulted in the collection of 550 coins from around the world. After careful evaluation, in May the COTY Selection Committee narrowed the list to 100 pieces, divided into ten distinct thematic groups. At that point, the most important and complex phase began: the selection of the winners.

There was intense competition with several coins remaining contenders until the very last moment. More than a hundred jurors took part — all experts from different backgrounds and areas of numismatic specialization. Ten exceptional coins, chosen for their artistry and innovation, were honored by the international jury.