Here's a section on those who are interested in collecting the coins & banknotes of the Maldive Islands.The Maldive Islands is a British Commonwealth republic located between Sri Lanka & the Chagos Archipelago,British Indian Ocean Territory (whose largest island is Diego Garcia).The official languages of the Maldive Islands are English & Divehi.The word 'atoll' is derived from the Divehi word 'atolhu'.The currency of the Maldive Islands is the Rufiyaa,which is divided into 100 Laari.'Rufiyaa' is derived from 'Rupee' through the Portuguese 'Rupia',& 'Laari' is derived from 'Larin'.The silver wire coins were known as Larins, but later on the Larin became a copper coin.Here is the items in my collection; Maldive Islands Coins; AH1318 (1900) 1 Larin (1 Laari). AH1404 (1984) 1 Laari. AH1389 (1970) 5 Laari. AH1379 (1960) 50 Laari (Milled Edge). AH1404 (1984) 50 Laari. AH1415 (1995) 50 Laari (Date not listed in Krause). AH1402 (1982) 1 Rufiyaa. Maldive Islands Banknotes; AH1379 (1960) 2 Rufiyaa. AH1404 (1983) 2 Rufiyaa. AH1411 (1990) 2 Rufiyaa. AH1404 (1983) 20 Rufiyaa. It is interesting that the dates on the coins correspond exactly,whereas, the dates on the banknotes do not.This is due to the Islamic year (Anno Hegeriae (AH)) is 11 days shorter than the Christian year,& for the fact that the Islamic calendar is also a lunar calendar.
Here is a link to the website of the Maldives Monetary Authority; www.mma.gov.mv .Here's a link to a PDF document about the Maldive Islands coins & banknotes; www.mma.gov.mv/faida.pdf . (Notes; This is very slow to load.The information is unfortunately in Divehi only). Aidan.
The coins of the Maldive Islands that are of interest to British Commonwealth collectors are those that date from the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Nur al-Din (AH1300-18 / 1882-1900.).Since coming under British protection,the monarchs of the Maldive Islands have been as follows; Sultan Ibrahim Nur al-Din (AH1300-18 / 1882-1900.). Sultan Mohammed Imad al-Din V (AH1318-22 / 1900-04.). Sultan Mohammed Shams al-Din III (AH1322-53 / 1904-35.). Sultan Hasan Nur al-Din II (AH1353-64 / 1935-45.). Sultan Abdul-Majid Didi (AH1364-71 / 1945-53.). First Republic (AH1371-72 / 1953-54.). Sultan Mohammed Farid Didi (AH1372-88 / 1954-68.). Second Republic (AH1388- / 1968-.). It must be remembered that a lot of information in www.rulers.org is actually wrong. The Krause catalogue has this at the end of the historical information at the start of the Maldive Islands chapter; 'The coins of the Maldives,issued by request of the Sultan and without direct British sponsorship,are not definitively coins of the British Commonwealth'. This statement in Krause is wrong,as the Maldive Islands were a British protectorate from 1887 to 1965,so therefore,all the coins issued since 1887 are British Commonwealth coins,even those issued when the Maldive Islands were outside the British Commonwealth (1965 to 1982) are included. Goosen posted some photos of the AH1331 (1913) 1 Laari.I have since managed to get one of these coins.The ruling Sultan at the time was Sultan Mohammed Shams al-Din III.Despite the mintname of Male being present on the AH1331 coins,they were actually struck not at Male,but in Birmingham,England (either Heaton's or King's Norton,or even both mints.). The AH1379 (1960) coinage was struck at the Royal Mint,London. Those struck from 1970 were struck at the Royal Mint,Llantrisant, Wales,with a few exceptions. Does anyone know which of these 2 Sultans issued the AH1318 (1900) 1 Laari coins - Sultan Ibrahim Nur al-Din or Mohammed Imad al-Din V? I have got one of these coins. Aidan.
Ranchhand,a coin from the Maldive Islands,which carries a date in the 1300's is dated by the Islamic calendar - AH1300,AH1318, AH1331,etc.It must be remembered that the Islamic calendar in use in the Maldive Islands is a lunar calendar,& the Islamic year is 11 days shorter,which is why some Maldivian coins struck in one Christian year can carry the previous year's Islamic date.The 1960 coinage carries the date AH1379,as opposed to the usual AH1380. The Islamic New Year falls later in the Christian year,which is why a discrepancy occasionally occurs.AH1300 is 1882,AH1304 is 1887,AH1318 is 1900,& AH1331 is 1913. Aidan.
