The Sovereign Military Order of Malta occupies a peculiar position in numismatics: a non-territorial sovereign entity with no land to speak of — its "territory" legally consists of two buildings in Rome and a fort in Lérida — yet it issues passports, maintains diplomatic relations with over 100 states, and produces coins with full legal-tender status under its own authority. Fra' Matthew Festing, Grand Master from 2008 until his forced resignation in 2017 following an internal dispute with the Vatican over a condom distribution program in Myanmar, is the issuing authority here.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta occupies a peculiar position in numismatics: a non-territorial sovereign entity with no land to speak of — its "territory" legally consists of two buildings in Rome and a fort in Lérida — yet it issues passports, maintains diplomatic relations with over 100 states, and produces coins with full legal-tender status under its own authority. Fra' Matthew Festing, Grand Master from 2008 until his forced resignation in 2017 following an internal dispute with the Vatican over a condom distribution program in Myanmar, is the issuing authority here.