This website (
visit link) has photos of the 2006 silver coin and informs us that only 5,000 were minted..obviously to be collected and not circulated. The website adds:
"Obverse
The obverse depicts Pope Benedict XVI standing in front of the principal church of Roman Catholicism, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Rome. The legend in French translates as "500th Anniversary of St. Peter's Basilica".
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us about the Basilica:
"St. Peter's Basilica (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri; Italian: Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano) is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City.
Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and remains one of the largest churches in the world. While it is neither the mother church of the Roman Catholic Church nor the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, St. Peter's is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic sites. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".
By Roman Catholic tradition, the basilica is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, also according to tradition, the first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession. Tradition and some historical evidence hold that Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period. There has been a church on this site since the time of Constantine the Great. Construction of the present basilica, replacing the Old St. Peter's Basilica of the 4th century, began on 18 April 1506 and was completed on 18 November 1626.
St. Peter's is famous as a place of pilgrimage, for its liturgical functions. Because of its location in the Vatican, the Pope presides at a number of services throughout the year, drawing audiences of 15,000 to over 80,000 people, either within the Vatican Basilica, or in St. Peter's Square. St. Peter's has many strong historical associations, with the Early Christian church, the papacy, the Protestant Reformation and Counter-reformation, and with numerous artists, most significantly Michelangelo. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age. St. Peter's is one of the four churches of Rome that hold the rank of Major Basilica. Contrary to popular misconception, it is not a cathedral as it is not the seat of a bishop; the cathedra of the Pope (as Bishop of Rome) is located in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran."
Reverse
The floor plan of this awe-inspiring basilica is detailed. The date of issue, denomination and the motto of the French Republic, LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ FRATERNITÉ are also indicated...
Specifications
Country France
Year of Issue 2006
Face Value 1.5 Euro
Weight 22.2 g
Diameter 37.00 mm
Mintage Limit 5,000
Finish Proof
Composition .900 Fine Silver"