The Irish standard., 1908-09-26

ander VII, attributed to Paolo, shows
on the reverse the crossed keys and
crown, perhaps one of the first Papal
coins to bear this device.
The coins Of the Popes were struck
in many places, including Rome, Boil.
ogna, Avignon, Perugia, Terni. San
Severino and Gaeta. One of the inter.
esting pieces of the Roman mint was
a silver ducat of Clement VII. This
piece, irregular in shape, was struck
in 1927, when Rome was in state OF
siege. On the diverse are shown the
arms and title Of Pope Clement, with
the word "Ducato" enclosed by a
wreath on the reverse. To this same
Pope is credited jubilee five sequin
piece in gold. struck in 1925. 1t is
not unlikely that the latter piece wa.
engraved by Cellini.
The most remarkable Papal coin
issued at Bologna was the sequin OF
1928, which shows the usual Papal
emblems and full length portrait Of
st. Peter. 1t was the earliest of the
Apostolic coins to be minted at that
city and specimen brought $26 at a
recent sale. Tho first Papal silver
scudo was struck a. Bologna during
the reign of Pope Gregory XIII.
Included among the regular Papal
coins are those of the interregnal peri
DDS, known as the "Sede vacante" ser.
les, or coins struck during the time
the Papal throne was unoccupied.
There are many varieties of these
pieces, some of them being extremely
rare.
A very interesting "Sede vacante"
scudo shows that before the accession
Of Plus TX. in 1886 an interregnal is.
sue of silver of considerable volume
was contemplated. This piece was
dated 1916 and bore the legend "sede
Vacante." with the arms Of the senior
Cardinal, Riario Sforza, who had the
sole authority to issue coins during
that period. The same Cardinal is
sued gold piece during the interval
between the death of Gregory XVI.
and the election of Plus TX. This
piece was called dopia and had an
intrinsic value of 1892. A full length
figure of st. Peter was shown on the
diverse, and the reverse bore the
Cardinals coat Of arms. with crossed
keys and Cardinals hat, with the
words "Sede Vacante."
A silver scudo of 1916 of this Car.
dinal showed the Grand Cross of the
Legion Of Honor suspended from the
shield. 1t would seem that the Car.
dinal lost no time in issuing these
pieces, for the interregnum lasted but
a few days, Pope Gregory dying on
June 1 and Pope Plus being elected
on June is. These were the last
"Sede Vacante" pieces by the Papal
mint.
While many of the varieties Of the
coinage of the States of the Church
are still obtainable at reasonable
prices, certain specimens are of great
variety. Gold, silver and copper
pieces were the metals ordinarily used,
and the pieces struck in gold are the
rarest. Very rare pieces are the gold
sequins of Plus H., specimens Of
which have sold for 1915. Specimens
Of the Papal coinage are valued at
$780,
Though Papal coins for general cir.
culation were not struck after 1870,
yet a pattern silver piece of the de.
nomination of five lire was struck as
late as 1878. This piece is said to
have been issued to show that coins
could be struck under authority of the
Pope. It bore the portrait of Leo
XIII. on the diverse, with his arms OF
the reverse, and was dated 1878. Not
many Of these pieces seem to have
been coined.