Vatican euro coins another subject. In addition, in 2014 the Vatican issued commemorative €20 and €50 coins honoring Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II respectively. Both popes were canonized in April 2014. Vatican euro coins Vatican euro coins are issued by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Vatican City State and minted by Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS), in Rome, Italy. The euro is the official currency of the Vatican City, although the Vatican is not a member of the Eurozone or the European Union. For images of the common side and a detailed description of the coins,
Prisoner in the Vatican entire city save for the Apostolic Palace; the inhabitants of the city then voted to join Italy. For the next 59 years, the popes refused to leave the Vatican in order to avoid any appearance of accepting the authority wielded by the Italian government over Rome as a whole. During this period, popes also refused to appear at Saint Peter's Square or at the balcony of the Vatican Basilica facing it, as the square in front of the basilica was occupied by Italian troops. During this period, popes granted the "Urbi et Orbi" blessings from a balcony facing a courtyard,