Vatican Commems Highlight First American Pope

New Vatican coins mark Pope Leo XIV’s historic first pontificate and his return to papal coinage. Pope Leo XIV appears on new commemoratives being issued by the Vatican, the world’s smallest sovereign state. The 2026 Vatican euro commemoratives mark the first time a papal likeness has been seen on such coinage in nearly a decade. The coins honor the new pontificate that began last May when Pope Leo XIV became the first head of the Catholic Church to have been born in the United States. The new Vatican euro collector set contains eight coins, including a bimetallic 5 euro that honors the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death.

The Vatican has issued similar euro coins since 2002. While the effigies of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI appeared on Vatican euro coinage during their papacies, Pope Francis explicitly requested his portrait not appear on any coins beginning in 2017; similar coins issued under his papal tutelage bear his coat of arms. All the 2026 Vatican coins except the commemorative 5 euro are legal tender in the 21 European Union countries that use the euro as their currency. The 2026 set is available for €59 through the Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office.