Italy's second 2-euro commemorative coin for 2026 has been issued. The coin's theme is "800th Anniversary of the Death of Saint Francis of Assisi." The obverse features a central depiction of Saint Francis of Assisi, inspired by a 14th-century fresco by Simone Martini in the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi (Umbria, Italy). Running along the rim, the commemorative inscription "SAN FRANCESCO D'ASSISI 1226–2026" records both the year of the saint's death and the present year. The "R" for the Rome Mint appears at the lower right, and the initials "AV" of coin designer Antonio Vecchio at the lower left. The twelve stars of the European flag are on the outer ring. The coin is initially issued with a mintage of 12,000 in BU coincard, 250,000 in roll form, 12,000 in proof case, 5,000 in reverse proof, and 2,500 of each proof variant in a proof coin set. Whether a circulation issue will follow, as in previous years, and at what mintage, has not yet been announced.
Source: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 2026 Issue Programme