Post Your Papal States Coins - Reverse Chronological Schedule By Ruler

The administrative institutions of the Holy See (the Roman Curia) maintain the records / list of who held this office. It is reckoned that St Peter was the first though what physical records of the earlier popes exist is hard to say.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_popes

Wow! What a great quattrino. So much detail crammed onto such a small coin, and great state of preservation, as it's usually clear that quattrinos were the most heavily circulated (or maybe just the most hastily struck) type.

That unusual shaped shield for the coat of arms is often just described as decagonal, but I have also seen it called "horsehead shaped" which I really like. It was common in central Italy in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, and could be 8-, 9- or 10-sided:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces462775.html

As for the sequence of popes, as pointed out by Bacchus2, originally the popes were the bishops of Rome (Peter being the first) and leaders of the Catholic church (eventually just the Western branch). So there is a line back to Peter in the first half of the 1st century that I think is fairly well-documented.
Later, as discussed at the top of the thread, they also became sovereigns, just like any other medieval king or duke, and still are today (Vatican City).

Many thanks tdziemia for that extra background on the shield shape - very interesting. The obverse of that coin is really very well preserved and the reverse is too though my photo perhaps doesn't highlight that well.

I think I might be on my own now to post a few more. (I also have some that I should have posted earlier but perhaps I can add those on at the end.

Today I can post this one. It's issued under Martin V 1417-1431 at the Papal enclave in southern France - Comtat Venaissin - and minted at Avignon.

The obverse shows a mitre atop two "P" with a column between. The column is the symbol of the Colonna family which is that of Martin V. The reverse has a Cross with mitre and keys repeated in alternation The denomination is a 1/4 Groschen.

Nice addition, Bacchus2!

While Numista is a fantastic resource - and the amount of detail on it is outstanding - it can be a bit tricky to navigate and search on for older material at times - especially when coverage is not complete.

The next coin I have was apparently minted in Rome - it's a ND (1370-1377) 1 Bolognino issued under Gregory XI. The obverse legend reads GG . PP . VND (Facing bust wearing triregnum) but I'm not entirely sure what all the letters stand for (PP being for Pater Patriae of course). The reverse lettering (+. DE ROMA) at least makes the mint clear.

Bacchus2
That is a skill in itself in numismatics being able to identify some of those medievel and Roman coins.
I would not know where to start if I was handed one to ID.

The trick is to know what should be there before you even look for it.




A challenging identification indeed.

Great coin ... which exposes the mistake I made in my search on earliest Papal coins struck in Italy the second millenium

Early 1300s.