The Government of Niue’s Treasury has announced the launch of an unusual Triptych Silver Coin that honors the canonization of Pope John Paul II. The 2014 Triptych coin that marks the ceremony of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church of admitting the deceased Pope into the canon of saints was launched on March 21, Friday.

Through the silver triptych coin, the Niue Govt. commemorates his holiness Pope John Paul II, described as the ‘smiling pope’ for his friendly smile. He is also one of the pontiffs who died just 33 days after being elected as the pope.

The new silver coin which is famous for its unusual shape and production is known as the triptych coin as it is designed with three parts, each with different designs. The coin comes in attractive rectangular shape with side walls that can be folded back for exposure of the design. Created with innovation, the multicolored images depict the images of Black Madonna, Mary of the Church, printed digitally on thin glass pieces incorporated with the coin.

The reverse design of the coin depicts the image of John Paul II at the central part found surrounded by a halo. The reverse inscription reads “Sanctus Paulus II” along with the date of canonization of John Paul II “27.04.2014” and an outline of St. Peter’s Basilica. The central part depicts the image of Pope, while the other two sides are designed with multicolored images of Mary, the Mother of the Church from the Colonna Chapel and the Black Madonna of Czestochowa.

The obverse of the coin has in its center the stained glasswork of Holy Spirit extracted from the main naïve of St. Peter’s Basilica. The left side part of the coin has the image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with inscriptions that read “Niue Island” and “Elizabeth II”. The right side part of the coin is decorated with the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica with the inscriptions that read “20 Dollars” as the face value and “2014” as the Year of Issue.