SERAFINO

SERAFINO - S. in the vision of Isaiah (Is. 6, 2-7), Miniature from the end of the 9th century. Detail of fol. 67v of Greek MS 510 in the National Library of Paris.

finally a scientific catalog and dedicated various decades to it, a powerful work that brought the author notoriety and fame in the international numismatic field.

Meanwhile, S. reported on his studies and discoveries in various periodicals: in the Bollettino della Commissione archeologica comunale di Roma (v. the years 1891, 1895, 1897, 1898 and then 1943-44); in the Atti e Memorie dell'Istituto italiano di Num. (vol. I, 1912), in the volume of writings in honor of Bartolomeo Nogara (1937), and finally in the one on the Esplorazioni sotto la confessione di S. Pietro in Vaticano (eseguite negli aa. 1940-49), I, Città del Vaticano 1951, pp. 225-44.

The Catalogo del Medagliere Vaticano (Le monete e le bolle plumbee pontificie del Medagliere Vaticano) compiled by S. consists of 4 large volumes of 1,676 pages published under the care of the Vatican Library, respectively in the years 1910, 1912, 1913, 1927 (Milan), where the papal series from the very beginnings of coinage up to the present day, now rich with more than 20,000 pieces, are systematically arranged in strict chronological order, by metals and by mints; and each piece is perfectly described in every element; the volumes are illustrated overall by more than 200 plates of coins, 20 plates of bullae, and several dozen plates of monograms and coats of arms. They are completed by numerous partial and general indexes, and many pages of notes touching upon all the problems inherent to the individual series. A work that will remain a worthy monument to those extremely rich collections and an illustrious testimony to the labor spent upon it by S. himself.

After 1929 S., called to hold the high office of Governor of Vatican City State, was necessarily forced to slow down and attenuate his scholarly activity, compelled to do so thereafter also by the weight of years and the inclemency of events that followed one another while he still gave scrupulous care to those many delicate assignments in various fields of administration and charity, which had been entrusted to him by the confidence of the five Pontiffs whom he served, and by public esteem; and he did not fail to participate in the activity of those numerous academies, associations, and numismatic, archaeological, and cultural societies that counted him among their sought-after members.