XI. Pope Piusz, born Achille Ratti, led the Catholic Church from 1922 until his death in 1939. The period of his pontificate was extremely busy and full of challenges, the events of the period between the two world wars had a profound influence on the life of the Vatican as well. Ratti played an important role in the church even before the papacy. He gained diplomatic experience as prefect of the Vatican Library and apostolic nuncio, which later came in handy as pope.XI. Pope Piusz placed great emphasis on the defense of the faith and the preservation of the unity of the Church. He condemned certain tendencies of modernism and secularization. The Pope also stood up for social justice and emphasized the social responsibility of Christians. His most significant foreign policy achievement was the conclusion of the Lateran Agreement in 1929. With this treaty, the Vatican was recognized as a sovereign state and the Roman question was finally settled. With the rise of Italian fascism, the Vatican developed a complicated relationship with Italy. Relations improved after the Lateran Treaty, but later tensions arose again due to Fascism's increasingly open anti-clerical policies. In the 1930s, German National Socialism posed a significant challenge to the church. XI. Pope Pius issued several encyclicals in which he condemned the Nazi ideology and the persecution of the Jews. XI. Pope Piusz died in 1939, at the age of 81. During his pontificate, he made many important decisions that influenced the life of the church in the long term.

XI. Pope Pius (May 31, 1857 – February 10, 1939) was pope from 1922 to 1939. His pontificate was characterized by the turbulent period after World War I and the rise of fascism and Nazism.XI. Coins minted during the reign of Pope Pius include:DenariLireVatican CityThe coins bore the portrait and coat of arms of the Pope and the year of minting. The image of St. Peter's Basilica was also featured on the coins of the Vatican City. The coins were made of silver, gold and nickel.XI. The coinage of Pope Pius played an important role in preserving the independence of the Vatican. The Papal State was created in 1929 as a result of the Lateran Pacts and needed its own currency to maintain its sovereignty, the Vatican issued its own currency, the Lira. The lira was divided into 100 cents. The coins were minted by the Vatican Mint.XI. Coins minted by Pope Pius are still sought after by collectors.