Malta. New Range of Gold and Silver Proof Coins Released in Memory of Pope Francis

Pope Francis, 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church profoundly impacted millions around the globe. His spiritual guidance leaves a legacy and exceptional role in shaping the modern Church. He endeavoured to foster interfaith dialogue, while championing the protection of society's most vulnerable. Francis was the first Jesuit, the first Latin American, and the first pope to adopt the name of Saint Francis of Assisi—a symbol of peace, poverty, and care for creation.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on the 17th December 1936, his family left Italy and relocated to Buenos Aires in Argentina some years before his birth. After several jobs in his youth, he answered his calling and became a Jesuit, studying philosophy while also teaching literature and psychology. He was ordained ten years later and was rapidly promoted through the ranks, becoming provincial superior for Argentina in 1973. He was named Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 and then became Archbishop. It was Pope John Paul II who elevated him to the position of a Prince in the church, a cardinal in 2001. He was soon known as a man of simple tastes, eschewing many of the trappings of a senior cleric preferring to wear simpler, less formal vestments. After his election as pontiff, and to set an example of modesty and foregoing excess, he chose to not to live in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace. Instead, he chose the purpose-built guest house next door which Pope John Paul II had commissioned.

After the abdication of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in 2013 - the first such act in almost 600 years, the 77 year old Cardinal Bergoglio was elected to succeed the former pontiff and chose the regnal name of Francis. His tenure which began on the 13^th March 2023 was marked by a deep commitment to social justice, the plight of migrants and environmental stewardship as expressed in his influential encyclical entitled Laudato Si’. As Cardinal Bergoglio, he made great efforts to heal the thousand-year rift with the Eastern Orthodox Church. In recognition, and for the first time since the Great Schism of 1054, the Patriarch of Constantinople attended his installation as the new Bishop of Rome.

Having spent many weeks in the hospital with a bronchial illness, his last duty as head of the Catholic Church was to appear on Easter Sunday on the balcony of St Peter's Square, waving at thousands of worshippers just days before his death on the 21st April. His funeral took place on the 26th April and was attended by many heads of state who paid their respects on the steps of the Sistine Chapel. Francis was laid to rest in a crypt of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, becoming only the second pope not to be interred in the Vatican.

The proof quality coins are produced by the Commonwealth Mint, at their facilities in Birmingham, UK on behalf of the Central Bank of Malta. Designed by artist Sandra Deiana, the obverse features a finely detailed portrait of Pope Francis facing to the right, capturing a gentle expression and the simplicity of his vestments - hallmarks of his papacy. Subtle decorative accents are placed beneath his portrait, underscoring the spiritual depth and reverence of the coins’ subject matter. Above the primary design and along the upper rim is the text of the late Pope’s motto MISERANDO ATQUE ELIGENDO which translates to ‘By having mercy, by choosing him’ and below, along the lower rim is the text FRANCISCVS P.M. 2025. The years of his reign are shown in Roman numerals as MMXIII (2023) and MMXXV (2025). The reverse bears the Coat of Arms for the Central Bank of Malta and text CENTRAL BANK OF MALTA along with the denomination of the coins from 25 CENTS to 100 EURO.

Each proof quality coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom case accompanied with a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please visit the e-webshop of the Malta Coin Centre.