Coins with a Spiritual Significance
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Coins with a Spiritual Significance
There are quite a few coins that depict religious themes. These spiritual significant coins originate from a myraid of nations.
Not all countries have the separation of religion and state, as does the United States of America. So, it is quite possible for some countries to issue coins with spiritual significance. In fact, it is expected of the Vatican City and Israel to ossue such coinage. Other countries that include spiritual themes in modern day coinage include Belarus, the Cook Islands, and Austria. Even Australia has now issued a coin honoring Australia's first canonized saint! But perhaps the country that is most prolific at issuing religious themed coins is the small principality of Andorra.
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Windows of Heaven
Stained glass windows in famous cathedrals and churches form the theme of a Cook Island coin series. There is another similar coin series that has started since, the Palau Holy Windows series.
Below is a list of these beautiful coins.
The Cathedral of Cologne – 2010
Westminster Abbey - 2010 Cologne - 2010
Notre Dame de Paris - 2011
Cathedral of Saint Petersburg Saville Cathedral -2011
Church of Saint Catherine Bethlehem - 2012
Saint Isaac's Cathedral - 2012
Church of Saint Grancis Chartres Notre Dame Cathedral- 2013
Milan Cathedral – 2013
Our Lady of Lourdes Sanctuary = 2013
Metropolitan Cathedral Buenos Aires – 2014
Sacre Couer Montmartre = 2014
Washington Cathedral Lunar Rock - 2014
Stockholm Cathedral, or Stockholm’s Great Church – 2015
Zagreb Cathedral Lunar Rock – 2015
Notre Dame de Paris
Windows of Heaven Coin
Westminister Abby
2010 Mary MacKillop Stamp-Coin Set
Sister Mary MacKillop was the first Australian canonized saint. The canonization occurred in October, 2010, and a coin and stamp set was released to coordinate with the canonization.
The coin is 0.999 fine silver, 0.5 Troy ounce, and is stamp shaped.
The matching stamp has a sixty cent denomination.
These sets come in boxes with a Certificates of Authenticity. These sets quickly sold out at the Perth Mint!
Papal Visits Inspire Coinage
There are numerous countries that have coins honoring Pope John Paul II, either as a person of significant importance or in honor of a papal visit to a country. These could be considered as religious, or one might simply consider them as historically significant. Usually these are struck to commemorate a papal visit. While Pope John Paul II is the most common subject of such coins, other papal coins can be found.
Papal Coins
The Abbeys of Austrian Coinage
The Austrian Mint produced several collector coins in silver with a ten Euro denomination that feature religious abbeys. At the same time that the Austrian Mint was producing coins depicting castles, so the abbey coins could be considered as honoring historical places, just as the castle coins honor significant buildings of the past. The buildings are Melk Abbey, Nonnberg Abbey, Gottweig Abbey, Seckau Abbey, and St. Paul im Lavanttal. These could be considered coins of a spiritual or religious nature, but only in an incidental manner.
Belarus Honors Orthodox Saints
Belarus, has, through the Mint of Poland, issued a six coin series honoring Orthodox Saints, those considered saints by the Orthodox. Orthodox saints may or may not be also considered saints by the Roman Catholic religion. These definitely carry a religious message. Each of the six coins in this series are available as proof silver coins, proof gold coins, and uncirculated gold coins. The silver coins have an oxidized finish, giving them a unique appearance. Each coin also contains four synthetic stones. The coins are round, but a colored rectangular image appears on the obverse of each, making them take on the iconoclastic look. These coins were minted by the Mint of Poland for the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus. The subjects of the Belarus Orthodox Saint series includes St. Panteleimon, St. Seraphim of Sarov, St Seraphim of Sarov, St. Sergii of Radonezh, St. Barbara, and St. Nicholas.
Commemorative coins dedicated to the 2000th Anniversary of Christianity in the Roman Catholic religion were also produced by the Mint of Poland for the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus. This coin was produced in silver in proof quality, and proof like in copper-nickel. The coin depicts the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and flame on the obverse and three churches on the reverse.
Holy Helpers
The Principality of Andorra has commissioned the Mint of Poland to produce ten dinar “coins” featuring saints. Technically, these cannot be called coins because the Principality of Andorra has converted to using Euros. However, that technicality cannot detract from the beauty of the Holy Helper Series.
A beautiful set of silver rounds are available in a series called Holy Helpers. The 2010 issues include Saint Catherine, Saint Barbara, Saint George, and Saint Christopher.
Andorra Commemorative Coins
Andorra, a small country, often produces coins with a spiritual nature. Some depict religious art pieces. Many are quite colorful. Often Andorra coins are not round, but shaped as though they are miniture pieces of art. In fact, Andorra has issued religious themed commemorative coins for a number of years.
Andorra is a principality. It is ruled by the the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Urgrll, Catalonia, Spain, and the President of France. It is located on the border between France and Spain. It is not surprising, therefore, that it would issue religious themed coins, considering one of the two princes who rule the small principality is an archbishop.
The below coins have a glass insert, giving them a great beauty beyond that of a normal colorized silver coin.
Andorra Hologram Coin
2013 Madonna Under the Fire Tree
PAMP Colorized Coins
PAMP has minted some very nice, religious themed coins, including the Evangelists set, Saints Peter and Paul, and the Last Supper. These are colorized silver coins minted in one- and five-Troy ounce weights. These are silver coins.
2012 The Last Supper Silver Coin
Biblical Art Coin Series
In 1994, the first coin of the Biblical Art series was issued. This series, from Isreal, features coins from the Torah, or the Old Testament. These are silver coins that depict familiar people and events significant to many.
A list of coins in this series appears below. A couple of years had no coin issued for this series.
Binding of Isaac – 1994
Solomon’s Judgement Day – 1995
Miriam and the Women – 1996
Noah’s Ark – 1998
Stars Over Holy Land – Abraham – 1999
Joseph and His Brothers – 2000
Tower of Babel – 2002
Jacob and Rachel - 2003
The Burning Bush – 2004
Moses and the Ten Commandments – 2005
Abraham and Three Angels – 2006
Wolf Shall Dwell, Fox, Lamb - 2007
Parting of the Red Sea - 2008
Sampson and the Lion - 2009
Elijah in the Whirlwind – 2010
Jonah in the Whale – 2011
Samuel in the Lion’s Den - 2012
David Playing for Saul – 2013
Jacob Dream – 2014
Sampson in the Philistine House - 2016
Adam and Eve - 2017
Isaac and Rebecca - 2018
The Twelve Spies - 2019
Ruth in Boaz's Field - 2020
King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba - 2021
These coins are available in both gold and in silver.
Biblical Art Silver Coin
Holy Windows
The Holy Windows coin series is from the island nation of Palau. These are similat to oher coins depicting stained glass windows. The main difference is these coins are diamond shaped, not round.
Here is a list of coins in this series.
Santiago de Compostela - 2011
Saint Peter's Basilica Vatican - 2011
Saint Patrick's Cathedral New York - 2011
Votive Church Vienna - 2012
Cathedral of Brasilia Brazil – 2012
Saint Vitas Prague - 2013
Saint Stephen;s Basilica – 2014
Please let us know what you think.
Barbara Radisavljevic from Paso Robles, CA on March 18, 2012:
Interesting lens. I guess the "In God We Trust"on US coin isn't considered spiritually signifcant -- or it could be they just aren't valuable enough to display here.
whirlwind on May 30, 2011:
Hello blackspanielgallery. I like you lens "Coins with a Spiritual Significance." I'm giving you a thumbs up on it!
Blackspaniel1 (author) on May 27, 2011:
@darciefrench lm: Yes, but I would think many people would not ever sell a medal, but might one day sell a coin if they had to. It is nice the mints, at least some mints, are willing to go into religious symbols and images.
darciefrench lm on May 27, 2011:
It would be nice to have a religious medallion of one's choosing to hold onto
MargoPArrowsmith on April 30, 2011:
I have a widows mite
