Malta

Commemorative coin

2015

Republic of Malta 1974

(Part of the National series " Constitutional History ")

Official Journal of the European Union

The coin is the last in a series of five commemorating Maltese constitutional milestones. Malta was declared a republic on 13 December 1974 following constitutional changes which were agreed upon by a great majority in Malta’s Parliament. The design reproduces a marble tablet affixed to the façade of the Presidential Palace in Valletta to mark Malta’s change from a monarchy to a republic. At the top right, in semi-circle, the inscription ‘MALTA — Republic 1974’. At the bottom, the year ‘2015’. The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Additional information

Malta was declared a republic in 1974 following constitutional amendments supported by a large majority of the Maltese Parliament. The coin depicts a marble plaque placed on the façade of the Presidential Palace in Valletta. It depicts the coat of arms of Malta in force from 1975 to 1988. It depicts a water taxi called "Dgħajsa" or "Dgħajsa tal-Pass", the type of boat on which - like the Maltese fishing boats called Luzzu - is possibly of Phoenician origin. Next to two agricultural tools, a shovel and a "worgfork" with which the threshed grain is thrown into the air to separate it from the chaff, a prickly pear cactus is depicted. The commemorative text reads: "13 TA' DIĊEMBRU 1974 MALTA KBURIJA LI L-PARLIAMENT TAGHHA B' MAĠĠORANZA KBIRA IDDIKJARAHA REPUBBLIKA L-AQWA ĠIEH LI KISBET GHALL-EWWEL DARRA FIL-ĠRAJJA TAGHHA" (13 December 1974 Malta is proud that its parliament has declared it a republic by a large majority, the best achieved for the first time).

Edge lettering

Designer