(sold for $173.0)

1968, Colombia. Gold 100 Pesos "International Eucharistic Congress"  Coin. 4.36gm!

Mint Year: 1968 Condition: Proof! Denomination: 100 Pesos Reference: Friedberg 121, KM-231. Mint Mark: NI within wreath (Numismatica Italiana) Material: Gold (.900) Diameter: 20mm Weight: 4.36gm

Obverse: Bust of Pope Paul VII ¾ left, flanked by Bogota Cathedral and Congress Symbol Inner Legend: XXXIX CONGRESO EUCARISTICO INTERNACIONAL Outer Legend: REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA Exergue: BOGOTA 1968

Reverse: Eagle above shield with arms of the Republic of Colombia (plant, liberty cap, seaship). Comment: Above eagle, gold purity marking (LEY 0.900). Legend: CIEN PESOS * * *   100 * (NI) * *

In 1968, Pope Paul VII opened the 39th Eucharistic Convention which was held on Bogota, Colombia. To celebrate this event, the Repulic of Colombia issued a gold 100 pesos gold coin. Obviously some of the coins were not struck in Bogota, but also in Italy by the Numismatica Italiana mint, which used a NI incuse counterstamp instead of the usual B mintmark of Bogota, which is here absent.

Eucharistic Congresses are gatherings of clergy and laymen for adoring and evangelising the Holy Eucharist. The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is one of the principal dogmas of the Catholic Faith and is therefore of paramount importance as the most precious treasure that Christ has left to His Church as the centre of Catholic worship and as the source of Christian piety. The main advantages of these congresses have been in the concentration of the thoughts of the faithful upon the mystery of the altar, and in making known to them the means by which devotion towards the Holy Eucharist may be promoted and implanted in the hearts of the people. The promoters of Eucharistic congresses believe that increase in the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament can be accredited to these congresses.

The first International Eucharistic Congress owed its inspiration to Bishop Gaston de Ségur, and was held at Lille, France, 21 June 1881. The idea at first was merely local and met with few adherents, but it grew from year to year with an ever-increasing importance. The sixth congress met in Paris, 2-6 July, 1888, and the great memorial church of the Sacred Heart on Montmartre was the centre of the proceedings. Antwerp entertained the next congress, 15-21 August 1890; an immense altar of repose was erected in the Place de Meir, and an estimated 150,000 persons were gathered about it when Cardinal Goossens, Archbishop of Mechlin, gave the solemn Benediction. Bishop Doutreloux of Liège was then president of the Permanent Committee for the Organization of Eucharistic Congresses, the body which has charge of the details of these meetings. Of special importance also was the eighth congress, held in Jerusalem in 1893.