2 Euros Republic of Malta 1974

Malta joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2008, having pegged the Maltese lira to the euro at a fixed conversion rate of 0.4293 lira per euro before withdrawal. This 2015 issue belongs to the second series of Maltese euro coins, which shifted the national themes away from the original Maltese cross designs toward historical and constitutional milestones. The reverse subject — the 1974 declaration of Malta as a Republic — marks the moment the country severed its formal link to the British Crown, abolishing the position of Governor-General under Dom Mintoff's Labour government.