25 euro – Holy Christmas

On the occasion of Christmas 2025, the Mint of the Vatican City State presents a commemorative 25-euro rectangular silver coin with colour application, produced in collaboration with the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato italiano and the Scuola dell’Arte della Medaglia. This issue arises from a virtuous synergy between institutions, combining outstanding technical expertise, artistic research, and the promotion of young talent. The coin, designed by artist Giada Reale and selected through a competition among the School’s finest scholarship students, draws inspiration from the Adoration of the Shepherds by the workshop of the Flemish master Pieter van Aelst, a sixteenth-century masterpiece preserved in the Vatican Museums and closely linked to the tradition of Raphael’s School. Reinterpreted through a contemporary visual language, the Nativity scene conveys the mystery of the Incarnation as an event of light and hope, in which the encounter between humanity and God is expressed in harmony and renewal. Another distinctive and innovative feature of this issue is the presentation case that houses the coin, conceived as an integral part of the project and accompanied by an informational booklet. The booklet guides collectors and visitors through a structured narrative that outlines the spiritual significance of the issue, the institutional framework of the collaboration, the artistic development of the design, the technical stages of production, and the historical and artistic reference to the Adoration of the Shepherds tapestry, offering a comprehensive and coherent interpretation of the work’s cultural, artistic, and symbolic value. Through this creation, the Governatorate of the Vatican City State renews its service to the Holy See, promoting the enhancement of the Church’s artistic and spiritual heritage while supporting emerging artistic talent. The coin and its presentation case thus stand as signs of faith and beauty, bearing witness—also through numismatics—to the universal values of fraternity, trust, and peace that Christmas continues to offer to humanity.