Michelangelo Sistine Chapel Exclusive Silver Coin Great Masters of Art 2018 Standard

Michelangelo Buonarroti - Sistine Chapel in the Giants of Art series

The magnificent one kilogram rectangular silver coin with Antique finish, issued by the West African state of Côte d'Ivoire and exclusively minted by the Swiss mint PAMP in 2018, is the seventh coin in the "Giants of Art" series. This time, the coin is dedicated to the magnificent decoration of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti between 1508 and 1512.

The coin bears on its reverse a coloured replica of the frescoes on the ceiling and top floor of the Sistine Chapel. At the bottom of the coin is the bordered title 'SISTINE CHAPEL CEILING' and the year '1508 - 1512'.
The Sistine Chapel is part of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, the official residence of the Pope. It stands adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica and is also used for the conclave, the election of the Pope. The original name was Cappella Magna, but it later took the name of Pope Sixtus IV, who restored the building between 1477 and 1480. The architect Baccio Pontelli was in charge of the new construction, and the greatest Renaissance artists, led by Michelangelo Buonarroti, who painted the ceiling (1508 and 1512) and the back wall with the fresco of the Last Judgment (1535 and 1541), were in charge of the decoration. The theme of the ceiling fresco is scenes from the Old and New Testaments and ancient mythology. The most famous of these is the iconic scene of the Creation of Adam, which became a symbol of life. The masterful decoration of the Sistine Chapel footprint changed the direction of perception of Western art and is considered the most impressive work of art of human civilization.

The face bears in its centre the national emblem of Côte d'Ivoire with the inscription "REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D'IVORE", as well as the face value "10000 FRANCS CFA", the weight "1 KILO", the fineness "999 AG" and the unique serial number.

The coin is mounted in a special presentation display made of acrylic glass and comes in a large luxury wooden case along with a numbered (framed) certificate of authenticity in a limited edition of only 750 pieces for the whole world! The set also includes an illustrated booklet in German about the ceiling fresco and its creator Michelangelo, which is stored together with the certificate under a removable bed. The booklet is accompanied by an English translation.