500 Lire (Virgin Mary) – Vatican City
Non-circulating coins
Commemoration: 2000th Anniversary of Virgin Mary
Vatican City
Context
Year: 1984
Issuer: Vatican City 
Ruler: John Paul II
Currency:
(1929—2001)
Demonetized: Yes
Total mintage: 66,000
Material
References
KM: #Click to copy to clipboard184
Numista: #24119
Value
Exchange value: 500 VAL
Bullion value: $26.62
Obverse
Description:
Heraldic emblem
Inscription:
CITTA' DEL VATICANO
L. 500 R
MCMLXXXIV
L. 500 R
MCMLXXXIV
Translation:
Vatican City
500 Lire
1984
500 Lire
1984
Script: Latin
Language: Italian
Engraver: Angelo Canevari
Reverse
Description:
John Paul II kneels before the Virgin Mary, with an olive branch nearby. Calvary is behind them on the left, and St. Peter's Basilica on the right.
Script: Latin
Engraver: Angelo Canevari
Edge
Embossed script
Legend:
+ REGALI EX PROGENIE MARIA EXORTA REFVLGET
Translation:
From the royal lineage of Mary, she shines forth.
Language: Latin
Categories
| Building> Religious building |
| Person> Religious figure |
| Religion> Religious objects |
| Symbols> Coat of Arms |
| Symbol> Cross |
Mints
| Name | Mark |
|---|---|
| Rome | R |
Mintings
| Year | Mint Mark | Mintage | Quality | Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | R | 66,000 |
Historical background
In 1984, Vatican City’s currency situation was defined by its unique status as an independent city-state embedded within Italy and its complex relationship with the Italian lira. While the Vatican minted its own coins—the Vatican lira—these were not a standalone currency but part of the Italian monetary system under strict bilateral agreements. The Lateran Treaty of 1929 granted the Holy See the right to issue its own coins, which were legal tender in Italy and San Marino due to a convention with the Italian government. Consequently, Vatican lire circulated at par with Italian lire, with their value, money supply, and economic stability entirely dependent on the Italian economy and the Bank of Italy.
The year 1984 was particularly significant as it marked the revision of the Lateran Treaty’s financial annexes. The new agreement, signed on June 3rd, significantly curtailed the Vatican’s minting rights. Previously, the Holy See could issue coins in quantities roughly proportional to its small population’s needs. The 1984 accord limited the annual coin production to a fixed, symbolic value (initially set at 1 billion lire, or approximately $600,000 USD at the time), intended primarily for numismatic collectors rather than general circulation. This change reflected Italy’s desire to modernize its monetary controls and the practical reality that Vatican-issued coins were largely collected as souvenirs or investments, not used in daily commerce within the city-state.
Therefore, the background of Vatican currency in 1984 is one of transition from a functional, though limited, circulating currency to a commemorative system. The city-state’s daily financial operations relied overwhelmingly on Italian lire, with its own coinage serving as a sovereign numismatic product and a source of revenue. This shift cemented the Vatican’s monetary dependency on Italy, a arrangement that would persist until the introduction of the Euro in 2002, when the Vatican again negotiated limited rights to issue its own euro coins under strict European Central Bank quotas.
The year 1984 was particularly significant as it marked the revision of the Lateran Treaty’s financial annexes. The new agreement, signed on June 3rd, significantly curtailed the Vatican’s minting rights. Previously, the Holy See could issue coins in quantities roughly proportional to its small population’s needs. The 1984 accord limited the annual coin production to a fixed, symbolic value (initially set at 1 billion lire, or approximately $600,000 USD at the time), intended primarily for numismatic collectors rather than general circulation. This change reflected Italy’s desire to modernize its monetary controls and the practical reality that Vatican-issued coins were largely collected as souvenirs or investments, not used in daily commerce within the city-state.
Therefore, the background of Vatican currency in 1984 is one of transition from a functional, though limited, circulating currency to a commemorative system. The city-state’s daily financial operations relied overwhelmingly on Italian lire, with its own coinage serving as a sovereign numismatic product and a source of revenue. This shift cemented the Vatican’s monetary dependency on Italy, a arrangement that would persist until the introduction of the Euro in 2002, when the Vatican again negotiated limited rights to issue its own euro coins under strict European Central Bank quotas.
🌟 Limited