Catalog
1 Pound
| Issuer | Government of Malta |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1940 |
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| Size | 151 x 85 mm |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in shades of brown and mauve on a fine guilloche underprint, with an intaglio portrait of King George VI in right-facing profile within a circular vignette at the right. A large ornate oval cartouche at the left displays the sterling pound symbol, with the denomination ONE POUND in bold letterpress across the centre. The heading THE GOVERNMENT OF MALTA appears across the top, flanked by decorative cornerpieces repeating the £1 denomination, and a manuscript signature with date appears in the lower centre. |
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| Obverse lettering | THE GOVERNMENT OF MALTA HEREBY DECLARES THIS NOTE ONE POUND TO BE LEGAL TENDER FOR PAYMENTS OF ANY AMOUNT |
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| Comments |
Malta's wartime fiscal position was precarious enough that the British government authorized this issue as a direct emergency measure — the colony's currency had to remain functional through bombardment, blockade, and eventual siege conditions. Bradbury Wilkinson, the London security printer of long standing, produced the plates, though distribution to the island during active hostilities was itself a logistical problem.
The P#14 series overlaps almost exactly with the Italian declaration of war in June 1940 and the start of the Axis bombing campaign. Notes from the 1940 dates in particular had a short and brutal circulation window.