Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Malta) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Republic of Malta
Repubblika ta' Malta
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| ISO 3166 code | MT |
Euro gold and silver special coins are unique euro coins made by countries in the Eurozone, like Malta. These coins are usually made from gold and silver, but sometimes other metals are used too. Malta started using the euro (€) on January 1, 2008. Since then, the Central Bank of Malta has been making both regular euro coins (which you use every day) and these special gold and silver coins.
These special coins can only be used as money in Malta. This is different from regular Maltese euro coins, which you can use in any Eurozone country. Also, these special coins are worth much more than the number printed on them because of the valuable metal they contain. So, people don't usually use them for shopping. Instead, they are called Collectors' coins because people buy them to collect.
These coins often celebrate important anniversaries of historical events or highlight special things happening in Malta.
Contents
How Many Coins Are Made?
The table below shows how many of these special coins Malta has made each year. You can see how many were made from gold, silver, or other metals. It also shows the different values printed on the coins.
| Year | Issues | By metal | By face value | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gold | silver | others | €100 | €50 | €15 | €10 | €5 | |||||
| 2008 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | |||
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | |||
| 2010 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | |||
| 2011 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | |||
| 2012 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | |||
| 2013 | 7 | 3 | 4 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |||
| 2014 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | |||
| 2015 | 8 | 4 | 4 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | 3 | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | 1 | |||
| 2017 | 5 | 1 | 4 | – | – | 1 | – | 4 | – | |||
| 2018 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 3 | 1 | |||
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | 1 | – | 3 | – | |||
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | |||
| Total | 57 | 22 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 33 | 7 | |||
Special Coins from 2008 to 2020
2008 Coins
In August 2008, Malta released its first special euro coins. These coins were part of the Europa Coin Program, which celebrates cultural heritage. Both coins featured the Auberge de Castille.
- The Auberge de Castille is a very old building in Valletta, built in 1574. It used to be a place for knights and now it's where the Prime Minister of Malta works.
- The coins show the building's grand entrance on one side (the reverse).
- On the other side (the obverse), they show the Coat of Arms of Malta, which is like a special symbol for the country. It has a shield, a crown representing Malta's old forts, and branches of olive and palm, which mean peace.
2009 Coins
The special coins from 2009 featured the Castellania.
- The Castellania is another important building in Valletta. It was rebuilt in 1748 and used to be where courts were held for the Knights of St. John. Today, it's a health office.
- The coins show the Castellania building on the reverse side.
- The front of the coins (obverse) shows the Emblem of Malta and the year 2009.
2010 Coins
The 2010 coins highlighted the Auberge d'Italie.
- The Auberge d'Italie was built in the 1500s for Italian knights. Over time, it was used by different groups, including the French and British military. Now, it's home to Malta's Ministry of Tourism.
- The coins show a part of the Auberge's front, including a statue of Gregorio Carafa, who was a Grand Master (a leader of the Knights).
- The Emblem of Malta is on the front of these coins.
2011 Coins
The special coins from 2011 celebrated Phoenician Explorers. The Phoenicians were ancient sailors and traders who visited Malta a very long time ago.
2012 Coins
The 2012 coins honored Antonio Sciortino, a famous Maltese sculptor.
2013 Coins
Malta released several special coins in 2013:
- Coins featuring Dun Karm Psaila, a famous Maltese poet who wrote the words to Malta's national anthem.
- A coin showing Grand Master Emmanuel Pinto, an important leader of the Knights of St. John.
- A small gold coin called "The Picciolo," which was an old Maltese coin.
- Coins featuring the Auberge de Provence, another historic building in Valletta that housed knights from Provence, France.
- A coin honoring Sir Paul Boffa, a former Prime Minister of Malta.
2014 Coins
In 2014, Malta issued many special coins:
- Coins celebrating Maestro Charles Camilleri, a well-known Maltese composer.
- A gold coin called "The Zecchino," which was another old Maltese coin.
- Coins marking the 100th anniversary of the First World War.
- Coins featuring the Auberge d'Aragon, a building that housed knights from Aragon, Spain.
- A coin celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Malta's Independence.
- A coin marking the 40th Anniversary of Malta becoming a Republic.
2015 Coins
The 2015 special coins included:
- A coin for the 400th Anniversary of the Wignacourt Aqueduct, an old water system in Malta.
- Coins remembering the Malta Summit, a meeting between US President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Malta in 1989.
- A gold coin honoring Pope John Paul II.
- Coins featuring the Auberge de Bavière, a historic building in Valletta.
- A coin for the 450th Anniversary of the Great Siege of Malta, a very important battle in Malta's history.
- A gold coin called "One-third farthing," another old Maltese coin.
2016 Coins
The special coins from 2016 included:
- Coins featuring Antonio Sciortino again, the famous sculptor.
- A coin celebrating the 450th anniversary of the founding of Valletta, Malta's capital city.
- A coin marking the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Dom Mintoff, a former Prime Minister of Malta.
- A gold coin called "Patakka," another old Maltese coin.
2017 Coins
In 2017, Malta released coins for:
- Malta's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, when Malta led the EU's main decision-making body.
- Coins featuring the Argotti Botanical Gardens Conservatory, a beautiful garden in Malta.
- A coin remembering the Santa Marija Convoy and the George Cross Award. The Santa Marija Convoy was a vital supply mission during World War II, and the George Cross was awarded to Malta for its bravery.
- A coin celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Women's Voting Rights in Malta.
2018 Coins
The 2018 special coins included:
- Coins showing "The Baptism of Christ," a religious theme.
- Coins for the 50th Anniversary of the Central Bank of Malta, the bank that issues Malta's money.
- A coin marking "Ten years of the euro in Malta," celebrating a decade since Malta joined the euro.
- A coin for Valletta being the European Capital of Culture in 2018, a special title given to a city each year.
Also, in 2018, some gold coins called "Melita bullion coins" were issued. These are different from the special commemorative coins as they are mainly for investing in gold.
2019 Coins
The special coins from 2019 featured:
- Coins showing the Gran Carracca Sant'Anna, a large ship of the Knights of St. John.
- A coin for the Centenary (100th anniversary) of the Sette Giugno Riots, which were important events in Malta's fight for independence.
- A coin marking the 150th Anniversary of the Suez Canal, a famous waterway that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
2020 Coins
The 2020 special coins included:
- Coins featuring "L'Isle Adam Graduals," which are old religious books.
- A coin for the 75th Anniversary of World War II, remembering the end of the war.
Images for kids
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A special silver coin from 2008 featuring the Auberge de Castille.
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A special silver coin from 2009 featuring the Castellania.
