Coins of Malta

Malta Euro Collection

For the “historic” event, all Maltese citizens were called to contribute by choosing through a public consultation the three designs that were then engraved on the new circulating coins.

The euro and cent coins were thus put into circulation on January 1, 2008.

Malta Euro Coins

The Malta Euro coins replaced the previous Maltese Lira, and the minting of the new currency was entrusted to the Monnaie de Paris, the French mint.

A public competition determined the 3 winning designs to be engraved for the Malta Euro Collection.

1. The Maltese Cross was chosen to be depicted on the 1 and 2 Euro coins.
2. On the 10/20/50 cent coins, the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Malta was engraved.
3. For the 1/2/5 cent coins, the prehistoric altar of the Menaidra Temple was selected.

The 4th place was the “Baptism of Christ.”

Now let's take a look at the National faces chosen for the Malta Euro Collection coin by coin.

• Materials: Copper-plated Steel
• Thickness: 1.67 millimeters
• Weight: 2.3 grams
• Diameter: 16.25 millimeters
• Edge: Smooth Edge

The euro cent of Malta features the image of the prehistoric altar of the Imnajdra Temple placed at the center of the coin above an ornamental strip. Below the altar of the Temple, on two lines, the inscription MALTA and the year of minting are engraved. At the bottom right between the altar and the decorative strip are the initials of Noel Galea Bason, the engraver: NGB

Along the entire edge of the coin, there are distributed the 12 five-pointed stars, symbol of the European Union.

• The cent minted in 2008 features the mintmark of Paris F inside the star at 6 o'clock.

• In contrast, the cent of 2011 does not have the mintmark or the engraver's initials.
• In the version of 2012, the engraver's signature reappears.
• The engraving F reappears on the 1 cent Malta coins minted in 2016/2017/2018.

Rare 1 Cent Malta

The rare 1 euro cent Malta coins are classified as R and were minted only in the FDC divisional version in the years indicated in the table with the mintages.

• Materials: Copper-plated Steel
• Thickness:1.67 millimeters
• Weight:3.06 grams
• Diameter:18.75 millimeters
• Edge:Horizontal reeded

The 2 cents of euro Malta coin features the same depiction as the cent, with the altar of the Imnajdra Temple centrally placed on the decorated band with dots. Similar to the cent, below the altar, the inscription MALTA and the year of minting appear on two lines in a central banner. The engraver Noel Galea Bason's signature is located to the right of the altar along the ground line. The 12 Stars representing the European Union are placed all around.

• The 2 cents minted in 2008 have the F mintmark of the Paris mint engraved inside the star at 6 o'clock.
• The 2 cents minted in 2011 do not have either the mintmark or the engraver's initials.
• However, in the 2 cents of euro Malta from 2012, the initials of Noel Galea Bason return next to the prehistoric altar.
• In 2016/2017/2018, the F mintmark of the Paris mint was again engraved on the 2 cents coins.

Rare 2 Cents Malta

The Rare 2 cents coins are those in BU indicated as R in the table with the mintage year by year. The indicated value relates to the coins preserved in BU.

• Materials: Copper-plated Steel
• Thickness:1.67 millimeters
• Weight:3.9 grams
• Diameter:21.25 millimeters
• Edge: Smooth

As with the one cent and two cents of euro, the image of the 5 cents is always the same. Thus, we find the altar of the Prehistoric Temple of Imnajdra in the center. In the background, there is an ornamental strip. Again, the year of minting and the inscription MALTA are placed on two lines below the depiction of the altar, and the initials of Noel Galea Bason are engraved next to the base of the altar.

As a symbol of the European Union, twelve five-pointed stars are engraved to form a circle around the Temple. The mint mark, when present, is engraved inside the star at the bottom center.

• On the 5 cents minted in 2008, the F mint mark of the Paris mint is engraved inside the star at the bottom at 6 o'clock.
• However, on the 5 cents produced in 2011, both the mint mark F and the initials of the engraver Noel Galea Bason have disappeared.
• The 5 cents of euro from Malta in 2012 see the initials of the engraver reappear next to the altar of the Temple.
• However, in 2016/2017/2018, the F mint mark of the Paris mint reappears on the 5 cents coins from Malta.

Rare 5 Cents Malta

The rare 5 cents coins are those divisional coins in BU marked with the R designation in the table with the mintages of various years.

• Materials: Nordic Gold
• Thickness: 1.93 millimeters
• Weight: 4.1 grams
• Diameter: 19.75 millimeters
• Edge: Ribbed
• Engraver: Noel Galea Bason

The center of the 10 cents Malta coin features the Coat of Arms of Malta with the inscription MALTA + the year of minting placed above in a semicircle.

The 12 five-pointed stars symbolize the European Union and, like the other euro cents, are arranged in a circle on the outer part of the coin above a pattern of concentric decreasing circles.

• On the 10 cent coins minted in 2008, there is the F mintmark of the Paris mint engraved inside a 5-pointed star at the bottom center.
• In contrast, the 10 cents produced from 2011 onwards no longer feature the French mintmark.
• The 10 cents minted from 2016 onwards see the return of the F from the Paris mint.

Rare 10 Cents Malta

The rare 10 cent coins are indicated with the letter R in the table with the mintages of various years, and the value refers to the coins in BU.

• Materials: Nordic Gold
• Thickness: 2.14 millimeters
• Weight: 5.74 grams
• Diameter: 22.25 millimeters
• Edge: Wide milling
• Engraver: Noel Galea Bason

Similar to the 10 cents of euro, the 20 cents of euro coins from Malta also feature the emblem of Malta in its splendor at the center. The word Malta is inscribed in a semicircle on the upper left side and the year of minting in the opposite semicircle. The edge of the coin is represented by a concentric pattern with the twelve stars of the European Union above. The symbol of the Paris mint is engraved inside the star at six o'clock.

• On the 20 cents coins from Malta issued in 2008, the symbol F of the Paris mint is engraved.
• In contrast, on the 20 cents minted from 2011 onwards, the symbol of the Paris mint is no longer present.
• However, starting from 2016, the symbol of the French mint F makes its return on the 20 cents coins as well.

Rare 20 Cents Malta

The Rare 20 cents Malta are the coins marked with the symbol R indicated in the table with the mintages year by year. Furthermore, the value refers only to the BU divisions.

• Materials: Nordic Gold
• Thickness: 2.38 millimeters
• Weight: 7.80 grams
• Diameter: 24.25 millimeters
• Edge: Thick milled
• Engraver: Noel Galea Bason

Here is the coin of 50 Cents Malta featuring the coat of arms, the emblem of Malta, placed at the center of the national side. Similar to the 10 and 20 cent coins, the 50 cents of euro also has the inscriptions of the year of minting and MALTA, in an upper semicircle separated by the Maltese tiara. Additionally, in this case, the 12 stars of the European Union are engraved on the edge made up of dense concentric circles.

• The 50 cents issued in 2008 bear the F mintmark of the Paris mint engraved inside the star at six o'clock.
• However, the 50 cents minted after 2011 no longer feature the symbol of the French mint.
• In 2016, the F mintmark of the Paris mint reappeared on the 50 cents Malta coins.

Rare 50 Cents Malta

The Rare 50 cents Malta are indicated in the mintage table with the abbreviation R. Their value is in reference to the uncirculated coins in BU.

• Materials: Bimetallic – Nickel plated cupronickel with an outer ring in nickel brass
• Thickness: 2.33 millimeters
• Weight: 7.5 grams
• Diameter: 23.25 millimeters
• Edge: Non-continuous milled
• Engraver: Noel Galea Bason

The 1 Euro Malta coin features the Maltese Cross with 8 points set against a background of vertical stripes. At the top of the coin, the word M A L T A appears with the letters separated by the points of the Maltese Cross. The year of minting is engraved at the bottom of the cross between the two lower points. The edge on the brass part includes the circle made up of the 12 Stars of the E.U.

• The 1 Euro Malta coin issued in 2008 has the F mintmark of the Paris mint engraved inside the star at six o'clock.
• In contrast, the versions of the 1 Euro coin minted from 2011 to the present do not show the French mintmark F.
• In 2016, 2017, and 2018, the F mintmark of the French mint reappears inside the star.

Rare 1 Euro Malta

The rare 1 Euro Malta coins are those indicated in the mintage table with the rarity grade R. The value of the coins refers only to the uncirculated ones in BU.

• Materials: Bimetallic – Nickel plated brass and an outer ring in cupronickel
• Thickness: 2.20 millimeters
• Weight: 8.5 grams
• Diameter: 25.75 millimeters
• Edge: Grooved with the repetition of the double symbol of the Maltese cross 6 times. (2✠✠ 2✠✠ 2✠✠ 2✠✠ 2✠✠ 2✠✠)
• Engraver: Noel Galea Bason

Like the 1 euro coin, the 2 euro Malta coin features the Maltese Cross with the inscription M A L T A engraved at the top in the spaces between each point. As for the year of minting, it is placed between the two central lower points.

The twelve stars of the European Union are distributed along the outer part in cupronickel to form a circle.

• On the 2 euro Malta coins minted in 2008, there is the symbol F of the French mint, engraved inside the lower star at six o'clock.
• In contrast, in the versions of the 2 euro coin minted from 2010 onwards, there is no trace of the French mint symbol F.
• The symbol (F) reappears on the 2 euro coins of 2016/2017/2018

2 Euro Malta Rarities

The 2 Euro Malta Rarities are marked in the mintage table as rare: R. The value of the coins specifically refers to the coins in BU quality.

Want to see more rare €2 coins from Malta?

Check out the page for Malta's commemorative €2 coins.