Vatican Coins Feature Pope Leo XIV's Image After Seven-Year Absence

Pope Leo XIV's image appears on new Vatican coins for the first time since 2014. The set of commemorative euro coins honors the new pontificate, and Pope Francis had personally requested that his face not be used.

The unique design features Leo's coat of arms on smaller denominations, while his face appears on larger ones. This marks a departure from previous sets, which often featured the current pope's image.

According to the Vatican City State Governorate, this is part of an entirely new design in the history of Vatican coin-making. The coins can be used to buy things in 21 European Union member states that have adopted the euro as their common currency.