Catalog
1 Maloti - Moshoeshoe II Independence Attained
| Issuer | Lesotho |
|---|---|
| Year | 1966 |
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| Composition | Gold (.917) |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed, draped bust of King Moshoeshoe II facing right, wearing a traditional Basotho headdress adorned with decorative elements and a pendant earring, rendered in high relief against a deeply mirrored proof field. A beaded border frames the design. The circular legend reads BOIPUSO LESOTHO INDEPENDENCE above, with MOSHOESHOE flanked by two six-pointed stars below. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | 1966 - Proof - 3,500 |
| Additional information |
Lesotho achieved independence from Britain on October 4, 1966, ending nearly a century of rule as the protectorate of Basutoland. This gold issue was struck specifically for that occasion — a commemorative release, not a circulation piece, produced for an audience of collectors rather than the mountain kingdom's own population.
The .917 fineness matches the traditional 22-karat crown gold standard, a deliberate choice signaling continuity with established sovereign coinage conventions at the moment of a new nation's first numismatic statement.