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Not to be confused with the Maldivian 2 larin coin.
2 laari
Maldives 2 laari 1970
Coin from 1970
General information
Country

Flag of Maldives Maldives

Value

0.02 rufiyaa

Years

19601979 (AH1379–1399)

Measurements and composition
Mass
  • 3.15 g (1960)
  • 1 g (1970-1979)
Diameter

18.2 mm

Composition
Appearance
Shape

square with rounded corners

Alignment

medallic

Edge

plain

Obverse

Emblem of the Maldives, Gregorian and Islamic dates

Reverse

Mint titles, value

v · d · e

The 2 laari coin is a former circulation piece that was issued from 1960 to 1979 in two types by the current Republic of the Maldives and former Sultanate (both are referred to as the "Maldive Islands" in the Standard Catalog of World Coins). The initial type was produced solely in 1960, during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi (1901–1969). During 1970, two years following the abolition of the Maldivian monarchy in 1968, a second type was introduced, and would eventually be made again in 1979. Both coins were produced at the Royal Mint, located at Tower Hill, London, until being moved to Llantrisant, Wales, in 1968. They have legal tender face values equivalent to 0.02 rufiyaa.

Coins[]

Bronze coin of the Sultanate (1960)[]

Maldives 2 laari 1960

Coin from 1960

In 1947, during the early reign of Sultan Abdul Majeed Didi (1873–1952), the Maldivian government officially established the rufiyaa as the currency of the Maldives. However, because only banknotes were initially included in the new monetary system, former Maldivian larins and rupees imported from the nearby nation of Ceylon circulated as the primary coinage on the island country. In 1960, Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi, the eldest son and successor of Abdul Majeed, called upon the Royal Mint in Tower Hill, London, to produce the first series of coins for the rufiyaa, consisting of pieces denominated at 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 laari. The 2 laari coin is composed of bronze and has a mass of 3.15 grams and a diameter of 18.2 millimeters. It has medallic alignment and a plain edge. The piece is square in shape with rounded corners.

Featured in the center of the obverse is the emblem of the Maldives – which consists of a coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) and Islamic star and crescent between two Maldivian flags on thin poles, and above a scroll bearing the Arabic "الدولة المحلديبية" (Romanized: Ad-Dawlat Al-Mahaldheebiyya; English: "State of the Mahal Dibayat"[N 1]) in naskh style. Arched upward near the upper left corner of the piece is "1960", the Gregorian date of minting in Western Arabic numerals. Its Islamic equivalent in Eastern Arabic numbers, "١۳٧٩" (1379), curves downward near the top right corner. Engraved in the middle of the reverse is a large serifed numeral "2" (dhé), followed below the smaller, horizontally written Maldivian denomination "ލާރި" (laari). Together, these two items identify the face value of the coin as being equivalent to 2 laari. Inscribed horizontally in small print above the number is the Maldivian "މާލެ، ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ" (Malé, Dhivehi Raajje). The "ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ" (Dhivehi Raajje), roughly translating to English as "Land of the Dhivehi People", attributes the coin to the Maldives; the "މާލެ" (Malé) refers to the capital city of Malé, but the reason for its inclusion on the piece is uncertain. The Arabic equivalent of this text, "ماليه محلديب" (Maliyya Mahaldib)[N 2], is engraved in a counterclockwise direction in a significantly larger font along the upper periphery of the piece. The rims of both the obverse and reverse are raised.

The total mintage of the 1960 2 laari coin, according to the Standard Catalog of World Coins, is 601,270, including 600,000 business strikes and 1,270 proofs in sets.

Aluminum coin of the Republic (1970–1979)[]

The popularity of the reestablishment of the Maldives as a republic ultimately resulted in the abolition of the Maldivian Sultanate and the founding of the current Republic of the Maldives in 1968. Muhammad Fareed Didi was then deposed as leader of the country, and, as a result of the 1968 election, Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir (1926–2008) was sworn in as the first President of the Second Maldivian Republic, a position he held until 1978. He was then succeeded by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1937–) that year. Upon commission by the new government, the Royal Mint, relocated to Llantrisant, Wales, in 1968, produced the second type of 2 laari coin during 1970 and 1979, respectively under Nasir and Gayoom. The piece is composed of aluminum, and weighs 1 gram and measures 18.2 millimeters in diameter. It has medallic alignment and a plain edge, and is square in shape with rounded corners.

The designs of the obverse and reverse of the coins are identical to those of the 1960 coin. Featured on the obverse is the emblem of the Maldives, accompanied by the upward-arched Gregorian date in Western Arabic numerals (either "1970" or "1979") and its downward-curved Islamic equivalent in Eastern Arabic numbers ["١٣٨‎٩" (1389) or "١٣‎٩‎٩" (1399)]. Engraved on the reverse is the value "2 ލާރި" (dhé laari), the numeral and denomination printed on separate lines with the former shown in a larger font than the latter. Above is the Maldivian title "މާލެ، ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ" (Malé, Dhivehi Raajje), and then the Arabic equivalent, "ماليه محلديب" (Maliyya Mahaldib). As with the earlier 2 laari coin, the obverse and reverse rims of the republican piece are raised.

A total of approximately 600,000 2 laari coins was made during two years of production. Five hundred thousand business strikes were made in 1970, and 100,000 additional pieces were struck in 1979. A small number of proofs exist for both dates.

Notes[]

  1. "State of the Mahal Dibayat" is a medieval Arabic name for the Maldives that was used by Muslim travelers.
  2. "محلديب" (Mahaldib) is a dated Arabic name for the Maldives. The island country is currently known in Arabic as "مالديفز" (Maldiifz).

References[]

 v · d · e
Maldivian rufiyaa
Banknotes ½ R1 R2 R5 R10 R20 R50 R100 R500 R
Coins 1 l2 l5 l10 l25 l50 l1 R2 R5 R10 R20 R25 R50 R100 R250 R500 R1,000 R
Miscellaneous De La RueLaariMaldives Monetary AuthorityRoyal MintRupee
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