Christian motifs on coins (1)

Mgr Nikol Cauchi, in his article An Expression of Christian Faith? (February 8) expressed his opinion on the inadvisability of having an image of the Baptism of Christ depicted on our coinage.

Bishop Cauchi wrote: "The pieces of silver, which represent the plutocratic kingdom have nothing to do with the expression of faith and devotion to saints. There are surely many other ways and means that are far better and more appropriate to reach that end."

Without wanting to enter into controversy with such a distinguished prelate, I am obliged to point out to him that he is out of step with his colleagues in the Vatican who have consistently used images of Christ, the Madonna and saints on the Vatican's "pieces of silver". I give some examples below:

The Vatican City State came into being on February 19, 1929, with the so-called Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy that led to the creation of a new geo-political entity, the Vatican City State, placed under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Holy See. The first Vatican coins were issued later that same year and from 1929 right through to 1941 the annual coinage sets it issued carried the following images: Christ the King (100 lire); the Virgin with the infant Jesus (10 lire); St Peter in a fisherman's boat (5 lire); the Good Shepherd (2 lire); the Immaculate Conception (1 lira); St. Michael the Archangel (50 cents); St Paul (20 cents) and St Peter (5 cents).

All coins issued in 1966 carried an image of the Good Shepherd. Images of Christ and the Virgin were carried on the 1968 coinage.

The 1978 coinage set carried images of Christ walking on water, seated Christ preaching on a hill, Christ teaching, and a kneeling Christ welcoming a child. Among the images on the 1998 coins is one depicting Christ teaching and the portrait of Christ from the Turin Shroud. The Madonna and saints have also appeared on numerous coins issued since that date.

Notable also are the Last Supper and the Crucifixion on the 1998 10,000 lire coins and the Risen Christ on the 1999 10,000 lire coin.

Even the commemorative Vatican euro coins have carried images of the Madonna and of Christ.

Naturally all coins also carry an image of the reigning pontiff or his heraldic shield.

Vatican coinage often has a slogan engraved on the rim. Slogans employed have been: Pax Christi in Regno Christi; Opus. Iustitiae. Pax; Oboedientia et Pax +++; In Nomine Domini +++; +++Totus Tuus+++.

Unlike Mgr Cauchi, the Holy See sees in its coinage a very suitable medium to disseminate aspects of the faith and the Christian message among both believers and non-believers. 

To achieve its objective in a visually attractive manner the Holy See has commissioned outstanding sculptors and engravers to model and engrave its coinage from the very first issue of the Vatican's coinage. As a result Vatican coins are much sought after by collectors and numismatists the world over, believers or not.

The Vatican is not the only state to resort to images of saints on its coinage. Countries with a Christian tradition have on occasions issued coins with a Christian motif. Britain, for example, has since 1817 used Pistrucci's image of St George slaying the dragon on its gold coinage and on its crown pieces. Italy too has on occasions had images of saints on its recent coinage. St Ambrose in 1997; saints Peter and Paul in 2000 and the Annunciation in 2001.

The use of a Christian image on our coinage could be seen as a revival of an old tradition. The coinage of Malta between 1530 and 1798 also bore images of Christ, the paschal lamb and John the Baptist. During the nineteenth century, bank notes issued by the Banco di Malta had an engraving of St Paul within an ornamental oval at the top left hand corner, while those of the Banco Anglo-Maltese carried an engraving of St George.

Malta is therefore far from being unique in bearing witness to its Christian culture and traditions by adopting a Christian motif on one of its coins. Naturally this will not be to everybody's liking. Some good souls for the reasons given by Mgr Cauchi in his article, many because anything Christian is anathema to them.