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Two 50-cent coins, bearing the figure of pope Benedict the 16th: these are the new Vatican euros which the Holy See has started to give out as change to those who go shopping in its stores, including the well-known chemist's, the oil pump and the food store. According to the French agency I.Media, for the first time since the introduction of the euro on January 2002, the Vatican started to put into 'ordinary' circulation - and not just on the collectionist market - its own coins, as envisaged by the treaty signed with the European Union on December 2009. On that occasion, Brussels had asked the Vatican to put its euros into circulation at their nominal value; at the same time, the Union authorised the Holy See to double its amount of minted coins, which will reach 2.3 million euros in 2010. The coins bear, in addition to the picture of the ruling pontiff, the writing "Città del Vaticano 2010". About two million pieces were minted, all 50-cent coins, which are now given as normal change in Vatican shops, although not more than two coins for each customer. This way, the Vatican will avoid that its coins lose their value in the eyes of collectionists - who nowadays represent a valuable source of income for the Vatican balance - and will avoid that they become 'like any other euro coins'. Because of the treaty with the Commission, the Vatican was forced to put into circulation at their nominal value at least 51% of the minted coins. The smallest country in the world also accepted to apply the Union's regulations against currency recicling and against counterfeiting.