Vatican 50 Euro Gold Coin 2011 The Crucifixion of St. Peter, Michelangelo Buonarroti

Vatican 50 Euro Gold Coin 2011 The Crucifixion of St. Peter, Michelangelo Buonarroti

Subject: The restoration of the Pauline Chapel, it is located in the Apostolic Palace in Rome.

The restoration of the Pauline Chapel was presented on the 30th of June 2009. The Chapel is located in the Vatican Apostolic Palaces and Paul III Farnese commissioned to Antonio da Sangallo (1537-42) to built it; subsequently Michelangelo was entrusted to paint the two frescoes reproducing the Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter (1542-50). Since its creation it has always been a place of prayer and meditation for Popes and the pontifical family.
  The restoration began in 2002, under the direction of the art historian Arnold Nesselrath, and has been realized by the staff of the Restoration Painting Laboratory with the coordination of Maurizio De Luca and the financial support of the Patrons of the Arts.
  In addition to the restoration of the paintings, the presbitery was reaorganized including a new lighting system, which highlights the paintings.

Obverse: Bust of Pope Benedict XVI.
Reverse: The Crucifixion of St. Peter is a fresco painting by the Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti (c. 1546–1550).

Composition: Gold.
Fineness: 0.917.
Weight: 15 g.
AGW: 0.4422 oz.
Diameter: 28 mm.

The Crucifixion of St. Peter
The Crucifixion of St. Peter is a fresco painting by the Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti (c. 1546–1550). It is housed in the Cappella Paolina, Vatican Palace, in the Vatican City, Rome. It is the last fresco executed by Michelangelo.
  The artist portrayed St. Peter in the moment in which he was raised by the Roman soldiers to the cross. Michelangelo concentrated the attention on the depiction of pain and suffering. The faces of the people present are clearly distressed. Pope Paul commissioned this fresco by Michelangelo in 1541 and unveiled it in his Cappella Paolina.
  Restoration of the fresco completed in 2009 revealed an image believed to be a self-portrait of Michelangelo himself. The figure is standing in the upper left corner of the fresco, wearing a red tunic and a blue turban. Blue turbans were often worn by Renaissance sculptors to keep the dust out of their hair.

  The image is set within the context of a modestly executed mountainous background. Michelangelo did not expend much effort in rendering the background in great detail. Vasari states, “There are no landscapes to be seen in these scenes, nor any trees, buildings or other embellishments and variation.” The mountains are painted in a faint blue hue, which perhaps is intended to increase the depth of field through atmospheric perspective. The land represented in the middle ground and foreground is a pale yellow-green that is in some places more of a yellow ochre in color. The only real vertical elements in the painting are the figures, which occupy most of the foreground. Many clusters of people surround a single large central figure that is mounted on a crucifix. The most impressive formal attribute of this painting (besides its considerable size) is its central compositional element. Unlike the many representations of the martyrdom of Peter that came before it, this particular manifestation depicts the raising of the cross- the moment before the crucifixion has truly begun. The angle of the crucifix activates the composition and makes what might otherwise be a static image into something much more dynamic. The strong diagonal creates a cyclical visual pattern for the eyes to follow. If one reads the painting from left to right, the figures ascending the steps on the bottom left lead the eye upward towards a cluster of equestrian figures. They direct the eye to the group of people located on the top right corner, which in turn lead to one end of the crucifix. The other end of the crucifix points again to the men who are climbing up the steps. Michelangelo also created many strong diagonals with the placement of his figures and the extension of their arms and legs towards a central point of convergence. The positioning of St. Peter himself is often noted as the most interesting innovation Michelangelo implemented in this piece. He defied convention by positioning Peter’s upper body so that it cranes upward and twists his neck around so that his eyes make contact with the viewer. The saint’s penetrating stare gives the impression that he is demanding that the audience bear witness; that they do not avert their eyes, that his sacrifice would not be in vain. This is a far cry from the typical passive, uplifted gaze that is seen on the face of countless martyrs in the depiction of their final moments.

Vatican coins 20 Lire Gold Coin 1869, Pope Pius IX.

Papal States Vatican coins 20 Lire Gold Coin, Pope Pius IX, minted in 1869 (Year XXIV).
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Reverse: Bust of Pope Pius IX left, wearing zucchetto, mozetta, and stole.
Legend: PIVS . IX . PON - M . A . XXIV § * §

Obverse: Denomination (20 LIRE) and date (1869) within wreath. Mint inital (R) of Rome below.

Mint Place: Rome (R)
Mintage: 76,000 pcs
Diameter: 21 mm
Weight: 6.42 gram of Gold (.900)

Pope Pius IX

Blessed Pope Pius IX (Latin: Pius IX; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from 16 June 1846 to his death in 1878. He was the longest-reigning elected pope in the history of the Catholic Church — totalling nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council (1869-1870), which decreed papal infallibility, but the council was cut short.
Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, meaning that Mary was conceived without original sin. Pius IX also granted the Marian title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, a famous Byzantine icon from Crete entrusted to the Redemptorist priests.
In addition to this, Pius IX was also the last pope to rule as the Sovereign of the Papal States, which fell completely to Italian nationalist armies in 1870 and were incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy. After this, he was referred to as the "Prisoner of the Vatican".
After his death in 1878, his canonization process (which opened on 11 February 1907) drew considerable controversy and was closed on at least one occasion, before Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Venerable on 6 July 1985. He was beatified on 3 September 2000 alongside Pope John XXIII, and was assigned the liturgical feast day of February 7, the date of his death.

Vatican Gold Coins 100 Lire coin 1950

Vatican Gold Coins 100 Lire coin of 1950.
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Tips to shine in investing in gold coins

When world economies shiver and shake, gold prospers.

Gold bullion coins, which sell in the millions weekly, easily tap into gold's rise. American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins have high gold purity and are easily bought and sold through precious metals dealers.

In recent years, some investors had turned to gold exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, to cash in on gold's rise. But lately, people have been moving away from them. Why? Some ETFs don't own the physical gold, instead trading in a gold index. For example, the CBOE Gold Index tracks the price of gold-mining companies. Gold ETFs may even trade in gold futures contracts, making them risky investments (Precious Metals Investing For Dummies).

That's why prefers gold bullion coins. For example, the Maple Leaf is 24-karat gold, mimicking gold's spot price and joining in its rise. Given that UBS and Goldman Sachs have said gold will be a top-performing asset in 2013, gold coins may rise in lock step.
The downside of gold coins

Before plunking down hard cash, know that investing in gold coins can have its downside. Prices fluctuate wildly. Gold coins aren't meant for trading - Hold them a minimum of three years.
In addition, dealers typically don't take credit cards for gold purchases. They may not accept orders unless they have the cash in hand first. "So, you must use a bank wire or cashier's check to pay for the coins,".

Selling coins also means laboriously shipping them back to dealers by packing them in coin protectors wrapped in bubble wrap. To track the package, send it via registered mail or Express Mail, or use a service such as FedEx or UPS. The coins should also be insured for their full value.

Here are five tips for buying and selling gold coins.
Tips on gold coins

Stick with North American coins. The Canadian Maple Leaf and American Eagle gold bullion coins are the easiest to buy and sell. Outside the U.S., the 24-karat Maple Leaf rules; inside, the 22-karat Eagle. "And the Eagle's gold content and purity is guaranteed by the U.S. Mint,".
   Indeed, American Eagle coins can even be put into individual retirement accounts, or IRAs.  
  Widely used gold coins also are easier to sell, unlike the South African Krugerrand and the Austrian Vienna Philharmonic gold coins. These coins are mostly bought and sold outside the U.S.
  To compete with the purer Maple Leaf, the U.S. Mint introduced a new gold bullion coin, the American Buffalo, in 2006. Its 24 karats represent the purest coin ever offered by the U.S. Mint. But it's not bought and sold as frequently as the American Eagle, and it's more expensive. "In general, most people don't know about the American Buffalo,".
    Gold bars are even costlier. They typically trade in 10-ounce amounts, but selling can be a chore. These bars can be expensive to ship back to the dealer.
    If you buy gold coins, store your American Eagles or Canadian Maple Leafs in a safety deposit box or a home safe rather than with a dealer. Physical possession is best to avoid dealer scams.
   Compare dealer prices. The U.S. Mint doesn't sell American Eagle gold coins directly. But there is a dealer location tool on the Mint's website. Comparing prices among dealers is easy, too, because coins sell at a premium above gold's spot price, or its delivery price as a commodity. You can find the spot price on precious metals exchange sites such as Monex-com or Kitco-com.
   Paying more than 5 percent premiums for gold bullion coins doesn't make sense. "Aim for the lowest price," he says. And, avoid buying gold on eBay because you can get caught in a bidding war.
   Buy 1-ounce coins. American Eagle coins are issued in four denominations: 1-ounce, one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce and one-tenth ounce. But the fractional coins carry higher premiums above spot prices than the 1-ounce versions. So, it's best to stick with 1-ounce coins.

    Avoid rare coins. Rare coins require more diligence and expertise when buying them. Two coins may look alike but have completely different grades. This difference can add up to thousands of dollars. You should hire a professional grading service and get a certificate of authenticity when buying rare coins - a hassle for most investors.
These professional grading services judge a coin's physical condition, assigning it a grade. "Buying rare coins is more like an art,".
     Uncover dealer buyback policies. While considering gold bullion coins, find out what a dealer charges to sell them. "Every dealer is different, and some may not charge a premium,". It pays to call and find out the policy.
Final warning: All that glitters isn't gold. There are many scams out there. Some red flags include dealers offering free storage or delayed delivery.
"And don't buy from telemarketers because they charge substantially higher commissions,".

VATICAN GOLD COINS 100 LIRE GOLD COIN of 1934, POPE PIUS XI

VATICAN GOLD COINS - 100 LIRE GOLD COIN of 1934 - POPE PIUS XI
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Metal : GOLD 0.900
Gross weight: 8.8 g 0.28 oz
Diameter: 23 mm

Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI, born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (31 May 1856 – 10 February 1939), was Pope from 6 February 1922 to his death in 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929. He took as his papal motto, "Pax Christi in Regno Christi," translated "The Peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ."
Pope Pius XI issued numerous encyclicals, including Quadragesimo Anno on the 40th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's groundbreaking social encyclical Rerum Novarum, highlighting capitalistic greed of international finance, and social justice issues, and Quas Primas, establishing the feast of Christ the King. The encyclical Studiorum ducem, promulgated 29 June 1923, was written on the occasion of the 6th centenary of the canonization of Thomas Aquinas, whose thought is acclaimed as central to Catholic philosophy and theology. The encyclical also singles out the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum as the preeminent institution for the teaching of Aquinas: "ante omnia Pontificium Collegium Angelicum, ubi Thomam tamquam domi suae habitare dixeris" (before all others the Pontifical Angelicum College, where Thomas can be said to dwell).
Achille Ratti was an accomplished scholar, librarian and priest. He celebrated his 60th birthday as a priest on 31 May 1917. Less than five years later, on 6 February 1922, he was elected pope, succeeding Pope Benedict XV, who was only thirty months older and thus from the same generation as Ratti. In those five years, he had short stints as papal nuncio in Poland, in Kamionek, until being forced by the government to leave, and as Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti and Archbishop of Milan, where he served only a few months before being elected pope.
To establish or maintain the position of the Catholic Church, he fostered and concluded a record number of concordats, including the Reichskonkordat with Germany. During his pontificate, the longstanding hostility with the Italian government over the status of the papacy and the Church in Italy was successfully resolved in the Lateran Treaty of 1929. He was unable to stop the persecution of the Church and the killing of clergy in Mexico, Spain and the Soviet Union. While in Mexico and Spain, the persecution was directed chiefly against the Catholic Church, hostility in the Soviet Union was directed against all Christians but especially against the Eastern Catholic Churches united with the Vatican. He vehemently protested against both Communism and Nazism as demeaning to human dignity and a violation of basic human rights, but heard so little support from the democracies of the West that he accused them of a "conspiracy of silence". Against totalitarian demands, he fostered the freedom of families to determine on their own the direction of education of their children.
In one of his most important encyclicals on the social order of modern society, Quadragesimo Anno, he stated that social and economic issues are vital to the Church not from a technical point of view but in terms of moral and ethical issues involved. Ethical considerations include the nature of private property in terms of its functions for society and the development of the individual. He defined fair wages and branded the exploitation both materially and spiritually by international capitalism. He canonized important saints, including Thomas More, Petrus Canisius, Konrad von Parzham, Andrew Bobola and Don Bosco. He beatified and canonized Thérèse de Lisieux, for whom he held special reverence, and gave equivalent canonization to Albertus Magnus, naming him a Doctor of the Church due to the spiritual power of his writings.
Pius XI created the feast Christ the King in response to anti-clericalism. Pius XI took strong interests in fostering the participation of lay people throughout the Catholic Church, especially in the Catholic Action movement. The end of his pontificate was dominated by defending the Catholic Church from intrusions into Catholic life and education.
He died on 10 February 1939 in the Apostolic Palace and was buried in the grottos of Saint Peter's Basilica.