Mad rush for Pope coins

There has been a mad rush to buy the Vatican’s last series of euro-denominated coins bearing the image of Pope John Paul, ordered before his death and already soaring in value.

Some brought sleeping bags and camped on the streets near the 4th century Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls to snap up the eight-coin set before supplies ran out.

But not everyone was a collector or buying for sentimental reasons. Many were just looking for a good return on their outlay, with the 23 euros cost expected to yield returns of more than 300 euros because of the rarity.

“We think it will sell for 350 euros,” (that’s around $450USD) one buyer told Italian television, moments after making his purchase.

From what I can tell, they’re not selling for all that much. On eBay the average price I saw for Pope John Paul coins was around $15-$30, but it may go up as supplies dry up.

Here’s a news article that has a picture of the coin in case you want to make sure you get the right one.