The reigning Pope’s image is once again featured on a new series of coins released by the Vatican City State, after a long period when Pope Francis forbade his face from appearing on the coins minted under his reign.
Announced by the Governorate of the Vatican City State last week, the papal bust is now included on the series of collectors’ coins released by the Vatican. The two newly minted editions comprise eight or nine different coins: in values ranging from one euro cent up to a commemorative – but not for legal use – five euro coin piece.
Leo’s image is featured on all the coins with a value of ten euro cents and higher. The lower valued coins instead bear his papal coat of arms.
The Vatican City State described the differing features of the varying coin values as “an unprecedented alternation between the Pope’s portrait and the papal coat of arms.” Both sets of coins thus commemorate “the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV through a new artistic language that successfully combines tradition and innovation,” wrote the Vatican.
Much loved by collectors, alongside the Vatican’s stamps the commemorative coins are also an important revenue feature in the Vatican’s offering for tourists and pilgrims. The Vatican City State has an agreement with Italy to produce a certain number of coins for the Vatican, given that the papal micro-state does not have the ability to mint its own currency.
The 2026 mint also marks a return to the more customary version of the Vatican coins, in that it bears the features of the reigning pontiff once more. In 2017 Pope Francis notably eschewed having his image emblazoned on the coins, preferring just for his coat of arms to feature instead.
A short lived series of Vatican coins from 2014 to 2016 had featured the newly elected Francis’ image, but upon his direct stipulation that custom ceased for the majority of his reign.
First minted for the Vatican in 2002 under Pope John Paul II, the coins can be either legal tender or specially minted commemorative-only editions. The City State produced commemorative mints for the sede vacante times in 2013 and 2025, along with marking a number of historic anniversaries in the Church’s life such as the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death this year with the €5 coin.
Michael Haynes is an English journalist in the Holy See Press Corps. He serves as Vatican Correspondent for the Catholic Herald, while readers can follow him at Per Mariam and on X @MLJHaynes.
