Maldives Coin Set

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The above coin set features uncirculated-condition coins of THE MALDIVES, also known as Maldives or the Maldive Islands. Maldives' currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa, each Rufiyaa being subdivided into 100 laari. The currency's ISO 4217 code is MVR. The small, 15-millimeter 1 Laari coin encloses a palm tree within a circle and is an FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) coin. Like the coin in my image above, the 1 Laari FAO coin was first minted in 1984. The scalloped-shape 5 Laari, scalloped-shape 10 Laari, 25, and circular 50 Laari coins are also part of the FAO coin program, an international numismatic endeavor of the United Nation's FAO. This organization seek to address hunger and food insecurity issues while supporting farmers and food producers.

A loggerhead sea turtle designed by Ahmed Abbas and Maizan Hassan Manik graces the 50 Laari coin from 1995. The circular, 20.2-millimeter 25 Laari coin is comprised of a copper alloy: nickel brass (electrum). The endangered loggerhead turtle species was a common - and controversial - food source for Maldivian citizens and others. This is why the 25 Laari "turtle coin" was part of the FAO coin program. Nowadays, many Maldivian citizens are weaning off from this dietary choice and seeking to protect beloved loggerhead turtles. The 1 Rufiyaa coin is the final coin in this coin set, being specifically minted in 1996 and first minted in 1982. On all the coins, non-English text is written in Dhivehi (Maldivian) - the Maldives' official language.

Geography
The Maldives is an Indian Ocean archipelago of atolls and a country located in southern Asia, particularly southwest of India and west of Sri Lanka. The capital of Maldives is Male (Malé), which has more than 100,000 residents. More info can be found on this GeoFact of the Day Blog post.