This episode of the television program "Hart to Hart" is about a fictional 17th century rare gold coin named the "Belleza Chalice." The coin is portrayed by a real modern Vatican steel coin which has been altered to fit the story. "Hart to Hart" was a one-hour television program which ran on the ABC television network from 1979 to 1984. Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers appeared as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy married couple who act as amateur detectives to solve various crimes. They are assisted by Max, a sort-of butler. This episode is titled "To Coin a Hart" and was first broadcast on May 11, 1982. The Hart's friend Walter Hampel is a respected rare coin dealer. He acquires a unique 17th century coin named the "Belleza Chalice" which is then stolen by a pair of thieves named Rollins and Karp. Walter is killed during the theft and his niece Laura, who has been living in Paris, returns for the funeral. The thieves accidently lose the coin and is passed to various people, ending up with Jennifer Hart. The coin is portrayed by a Vatican 2 Lire coin dated 1942. The Vatican coin was altered to add the figure of a chalice and to remove the value and date. It was then gilded or painted gold. Later a gilded British 1961 large penny appears as the coin.

Jonathan Hart is a wealthy Los Angeles businessman who owns a company. His wife Jennifer is a writer. They live in an upscale house with a man named Max who serves as an assistant and sort-of butler. The couple acts as amateur detectives to solve various crimes. A scene showing falling coins introduces this numismatically themed episode.

The large gold coin in the center is the focus of the story.

The Harts and Max are sitting around a table.

Max has broken open a coin bank and is looking at the coins. He holds up one coin.

The coin is a US Indian Head cent with the date covered by his finger. Max figures that the coin is worth more than one cent and Jonathan Hart offers to show the coin to a rare coin dealer friend named Walter Hampel and whom Jonathan calls "Mr. Numismatic himself." Jonathan then heads for the high-rise office building and sees Mr. Hempel outside. Mr. Hempel buys some flowers from a woman flower seller and tells Hart that his daughter Laura is flying in from Paris where she has been a student.

Walter takes the cent to his coin store, the "Hemisphere Coin Co.."

The dealer's office has a display of old currency notes and coins on clear stands.

The coin date is revealed to be dated 1900 which is not a rare date for this coin. Mr. Hampel, wearing an eye loupe, takes a coin container out of his desk.

The coin in the container is a beautiful gold coin and both sides of the coin are shown.

The coin obverse shows a pair of keys and the figure of a chalice.

The coin reverse shows Justice holding scales.

The prop coin has been copied from a real Vatican coin of Pope Pius XII who reigned from 1939 to 1958. The Vatican minted stainless steel coins in Rome with this design from 1942 to 1946. Later the prop coin is shown with US coins (nickels and quarters) with known diameters of 21.2 mm and 24.3 mm allowing one to calculate it's diameter to be around 29 mm which matches the size of the 2 Lire coin. The prop coin has had the date removed but the remaining inscription "ANNO IV" points to the fourth year of Pope Pius XII or 1942.

Stainless steel, 29 mm, 10.0 gm
Obverse:
Crossed keys with Papal Crown above and shield with figure of dove below
PIVS XII PONTIFEX MAXIMUS ANNO IV (Pius XII, Chief Pontiff, Year 4)
Pope Pius XII was in office from 1939 to 1958. The fourth year of his reign is 1942.
Reverse:
Seated robed figure of Justice holding scales and book
STATO DELLA CITTA DEL VATICANO - IVSTITIA (State of the Vatican City - Justice)

Two men, Karp and Rollins, enter Mr. Hampel's office.

When Hampel refuses Karp hits him and knocks him down. The two robbers then leave with the coin and Hampel presses an alarm button summoning the police. The police arrive, find Hampel dead, and tell everyone not to leave.

The two thieves drop the coin into the flower seller's change can.

The view of the coin with some US nickel 5 cent coins allows one to calculate the size of the prop coin.

After some questioning the police allow the office people (and the thieves) to leave. The Harts go to the office building and Mrs. Hart purchases some flowers, receiving the coin in change. The thieves return and Rollins talks to the flower seller and tells her that he accidently gave her his "good luck piece." The flower seller tells him that she gave Mrs. Hart the coin. The Harts visit the coin store and talk to Alan Chambers, Mr. Hampel's assistant.

Alan tells the Harts that Mr. Hampel had been obsessed with owning the Belleza Chalice and that through a contact was able to purchase one from someone in Belgium. At the Hart's house Max asks for some money and Jennifer points him to her change purse.

Of course, the change includes the coin.

A US quarter dollar coin provides another coin for size comparison to the prop coin. Laura Hampel, Mr. Hampel's niece, arrives from Paris where she has been studying. Alan sees her to tell her about her uncle.

Alan tells Laura about Mr. Hampel's obsession with the coin and that he and Hampel paid $400,000 for it from a Belgian dealer. Alan also tells Laura that he would like a relationship with her but she turns him down.

Max tells the Harts that he sold the Indian Head cent, a 1909-S (San Francisco), and received $75 for it. (The Indian Head cent previously shown was dated 1900 and that date was only minted in Philadelphia) Max shows the gold coin to the Harts and Jennifer examines it.

Jennifer states that the date is in Latin. The Harts send Max with the coin to talk to a friend, Father Mariucci, a Roman Catholic priest. They then visit Alan and Laura.

Laura tells the Harts that the Belleza Chalice has a "special place in the world of numismatics." Alan states that he has talked to the police but didn't tell them about the coin. He explains that the coin wasn't stolen but there was a question about ownership.

Father Mariucci tells Max that the Belleza Chalice coin was part of a set of five gold coins minted by Prince Giovanni Delotte (or Deloitte) in 1632 as a gift for his princess. The theme of the coins was the five senses and the coin with the chalice meant taste of wine. The other four coins are in the Vatican Museum which would like to own the fifth coin. Max holds the coin which is now a different prop coin.

The coin is now portrayed by a gilded 1961 British large penny.

Robbins visits Laura whom he apparently knows.

It is revealed that Laura hired the two men to steal the coin from her uncle and she is unhappy that the uncle died during the robbery. The Harts take the coin and show it to Alan.

Alan tells the Harts that Laura was in Europe and arranged the purchase of the coin. The Harts and Alan then realize that Laura was involved in the theft and the murder. This scene was followed by a scene (not shown here) with the British large penny again. Alan tells the Harts that "I'm afraid the Belleza Chalice has a touch of hemlock on it." Rollins calls the Harts and tells them that he has kidnapped Laura and offers to exchange her for the coin. He tells Jonathan to meet him at the Griffith Park carousel (a merry-go-round) the next morning at 6:00 am.

Jonathan finds Karp and knocks him out. Rollins holds a gun pointed at Laura.

Jonathan says that he has the coin and throws it onto the ground. Laura picks it up and tells Rollins that it is a quarter. Rollins threatens to kill Laura.

Jonathan replies "Her life ought to be worth two bits, go ahead and kill her, it will save the state the expense of housing her for 20 years." Next there is a scene of the antique Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round Wurlitzer organ.

The sign on the clock reads: GRIFFITH PARK - MERRY GO ROUND - "IT'S TIME TO RIDE" The sign on the organ reads: GRIFFITH PARK RAND & OPENSHAW INC. LOS ANGELES

Laura starts the carousel to create a distraction.

Jonathan goes after Rollins.

Rollins collapses at a fence. Jennifer arrives and Jonathan asks Laura why she had the coin stolen.

Laura tells Jonathan that "I just needed the money to be free." Jonathan tells her that "Well, I'm afraid that where you're going, everything's gonna be free."

Robert Wagner as Jonathan Hart
Stefanie Powers as Jennifer Hart
Lionel Stander as Max
Eduard Franz as Walter Hampel
Patricia Davis as Laura Hampel
Scott Hylands as Alan Chambers
Richard Bradford as Rollins (Older crook)
Anthony Costello as Karp (Younger crook)
Director: Karen Arthur
Writers: Bill LaMond, Jo LaMond, Sidney Sheldon, Catherine Bacos (Story)