The Extent of a
Collection of Coins of the POPES since 1300
How many coins in a papal
collection?
An off the cuff estimate says 176, but hat depends upon what you wish to collect.
I will not deal with the popes who issued before 983. Most of these never come on the market. I deal with coins of the 2d millennium and issues of the present pope. The first coin "of a pope" is registered as 1300. The election coins of 1268-71 pose a different series, often included with the popes.
First the Popes.
Boniface
VIII issued grossi and denari [Yes denari has only one eye in
Italian. In Latin it has two eyes.] from a "
French"
mint in 1300. All but four popes from that date on have issued coins. That’s 68 popes issuing, so we’re up to 68 coins. Add Five antipopes who issue. Now we have 73 coins, which includes only one coin of each pope and antipope. Most papal collectors are not satisfied with that. The number becomes more complex; meaning we drift into what I call subtotals.
Many collectors want a coat of arms and a
portrait for popes who issue them. For 13 popes up till 1417, the total is easy – zero. They issue neither
portraits nor coats of arms, so the
collection gets a subtotal of 13 coins without
portraits or coats of arms. From 1417 till 1471 six popes issue coins that show their own or the family’s coat of arms. So, till 1471, we have a
collection of 21 coins. We’re
still at one coin
per individual.
Sixtus IV [1471-84] issued the first papal
portrait coin. It has
his coat of arms on the
reverse, so I suppose you could get away with one coin for him, Gregory XIII, Paul V and other popes who issue such a combination. Until I spend hours going through the monstrously big
Muntoni book [He has a plate for virtually every
type!] I will award Sixtus IV and most other popes two coins. Exceptions now arise.
Take the following exception – Innocent IX. When
his hometown, Bologna, got the news of the 1591 election of a native son, they rushed out a gold double scudo [doppia] showing Innocent’s coat of arms. Elected on October 29, he followed the politics of
his fan,
Philip II of
Spain, but not for long. He died of a cold on December 30. We subtract one number from the total, because he has no
portrait ON A COIN. Innocent
VIII, Pius III and Marcellus II also failed to issue
portraits. Take 4 from
portrait total. That give us [inclusive counting] 54 coats of arms and 50
portraits for 104 coins. New subtotal: 125 coins 104 plus 21], and I do not know a papal collector satisfied with this number. They want more.
Collectors seek out the sedibus vacantibus [That’s an ablative plural of sede vacante in Latin.] issues that start in 1268–1271. Sedibus vacantibus issues show up intermittently in 1378 [?] and 1415-17. After 1521, issues for sede vacante become fairly regular. Most show the arms of the Cardinal Chamberlain, Chief
Cook and
Bottle Washer of the papacy.
His reward for changing light bulbs [and other duties, such as running the
mint] is to have
his arms on election coins, which he theoretically issues. Forty-three issues of the sede vacante since 1521 show arms; three previous issues do not. Total issues for sede vacante: 46.
We have one or two coins for 68 popes…c.125 coins. [Note some inclusive counting.]
We have coins of antipopes…5.
We have 46 issues for sede vacante [elections] 46
THIS ESTIMATE OF 176 COINS FOR A MINIMUL PAPAL
COLLECTION IS SUBJECT TO ERROR. I MAY WELL REVISE IT AFTER CONSULTING THE
MUNTONI TEXT AND PLATES AND OTHER WRITINGS. [For example,
Muntoni awards no sede vacante coin for 1549-50; however, Martinori lists two issues –
Rome and Bologna.]
Happy to Entertain Other Counts,
Follibus Fanaticus