Pius IX, Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti of Senigallia. Pope from 1846 to 1878. Inauguration of the first pontifical railway. Silver annual medal 1857 Year XII. By Pietro Girometti. (Silver, 43.39 mm, 34.19 g). PIVS IX PONTIFEX MAXIMVS AN XII Bust right with zucchetto, mozzetta and stole adorned with the Immaculate Conception and the Pope insignia; under the bust cut, P G F. Rev. PROVIDENTIA P M FERREA VIA ROMAM PROVINCIIS JVNGI CVRAVIT Steam locomotive with an angel sitting on top, holding a caduceus and indicating the railroad tracks; in the background on the left, St. Peter's Basilica, hinting at the city of Rome; in exergue, AN MDCCCLVI; below, P GIROMETTI F. Bartolotti 1988, p. 161, XII – n. 1. Bartolotti 1967, 857. Modesti 2009, 324. Lincoln 2284. Toned. Nearly Uncirculated. Very rare, 3221 silver specimens minted. Ex Tkalec, May 7, 2008 part II, lot 849. This beautiful medal commemorates the opening of the first section of the papal railway, Rome-Frascati which took place on July 6, 1856. Unfortunately, the pontifical railway was short-lived, not only due to the delay with which the construction works of the first section were executed, but also because in the meantime a good part of the ecclesiastical territories ended up annexed to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy and the companies entrusted with the construction of the various railway sections had to renegotiate the concessions, where possible, with the new Italian government.