1960 Maldive 50-laari

[villa66]

A 1960 50-laari from the Maldive Islands struck in London of nickel-brass, with a diameter of 23.5mm and a weight of 5.60g. The 1960 50-laari comes in both reeded and “security” edge varieties (this coin has the grooved “security” edge), and was the high-value in a six-denomination coin series that was the first coined specifically for or by the Maldives in almost half a century.

Struck during the last few years of the Maldives as British protectorate, this 50-laari—like the 10- and 25-laari in the new series of 1960—was of a size and composition very similar to the Ceylonese coins then circulating in Maldive commercial channels.

The British relinquished control of Maldive external affairs in 1965, and in 1968 the Sultanate under which this 50-laari piece was issued gave way to a Republic.

One distinctive feature of the country is its extremely low elevation—averaging less than five feet (1.5 meters) above sea level—lowest of all the world’s countries. Which means, among other things, that during their in-country circulating careers, these coins were never far from getting wet.

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