| Description : The coin, designed by Orietta Rossi, depicts a Swiss
Guardsman taking an oath of allegiance to the Pope. The flag of the Guard is grasped with the left hand to move it above the
horizontal flagpole, while the oath is taken with the right hand raised and three fingers spread (which, among other things,
symbolises the Trinity). The swearing‐in of the new recruits takes place on May 6th (the anniversary of the sacking
of Rome in 1527) and for the first time in 2006 in St Peter's Square. The inscription "GUARDIA SVIZZERA PONTIFICIA"
(Pontifical Swiss Guard) forms a semicircle around the Guard, under the flag is "CITTÀ DEL VATICANO" (Vatican City).
On the left is "1506", the year the Guard was founded, on the right the year of issue "2006" and below is the letter "R"
the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome. The logos "O. ROSSI" of the
designer and "M.C.C.INC." (INC. = Incisore / Engraver) of the engraver Maria Carmela Colaneri can be found on the
left and right above the flag. |
