Vatican
City, 1 March 2013
(VIS) - The Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Governorate of
Vatican City State has issued four stamps with the image of an angel
raising the pavilion (“umbraculum”) of the Apostolic Camera, the
work of Italian artist Daniela Longo. The stamps cost: €0.70
for mail to Italy, with a light green background; €0.85
for mail to Europe, with a blue background; €2.00
for mail to the Americas, with a grey background; and €2.50 for
mail to Oceania, on a yellow background.
The
use of these stamps as postage is only available during the Sede
Vacante, ending with the election of the new Pope. Their philatelic
use is allowed afterwards and the office will continue to sell them
to collectors. The initial printing is for 230,000 complete series.
The folder including all four stamps costs €15.00. There is also a
smaller folder that was created on Pope Benedict XVI's renunciation
of the pontificate, which includes two stamps and costs €10.00.
Regarding
coins, a €2.00 one commemorating the Sede Vacante will be issued.
It is the only one that will be circulated seeing that, according to
the European convention with the Vatican City State, only one coin is
allowed to be issued per year, with an extra one permitted in the
case of a Sede Vacante. There will, therefore, be two coins in 2013:
one for the Sede Vacante and the other, to be issued in April, with
an image of Benedict XVI.
The
Sede Vacante coin, 125,000 of which will be minted, bears the emblem
of the Cardinal camerlengo with the pavilion of the Apostolic Camera.
There
will also be 10,000 silver €5.00 coins minted for the Sede Vacante
that will have a dove of the Holy Spirit and the words “Veni Sancte
Spiritus” on one side and the emblem of the Cardinal camerlengo
with the pavilion of the Apostolic Camera and the phrase “Sede
Vacante 2013” on the other. Likewise, 5,000 gold €10.00 coins
will be minted. This will be a very small coin (13.85mm in size and
3g in weight) and will have the same images and writing as the silver
coin.
The
€5.00 and €10.00 coins are collectibles and, theoretically, can
only be used within the Vatican. They are not legal tender outside of
the Vatican.
Posts
Could you post information here about how people in the USA may purchase the stamps and coins? Thank you.
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