3rd series - First Maltese coin
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1974
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3rd series - First Maltese coin
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Shortly after the conquest of the Maltese islands by Rome in 218BC, local bronze coinage based on the Roman weight system was circulated. Malta, which formed part of the praetorship of Sicily, was granted the status of municipium, which meant that it could strike its own coinage in bronze. This coinage was in circulation for about two centuries. The earliest of the coin issues bore three Punic characters aleph, nun, nun, which are thought to be the ancient name of Malta. Later the coins bore the name MELITAION in Greek, and yet later MELITAS in Latin.
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Type
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Denomination
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Diameter (mm)
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Gross Weight (g)
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Finesse
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Designer
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Mint
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Mintage
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Gold
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Lm50
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28
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15
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0.916
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Pietro Giampaoli
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Malta Mint
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