25 Liri First Gozitan Coin - Pattern

Gozo had never had its own coin issue before 1977, and the Central Bank of Malta's decision to produce a dedicated Gozitan piece was partly promotional — tied to efforts to raise the island's profile as a distinct cultural and tourist destination rather than merely Malta's quieter neighbor. This piece is a pattern, meaning it was struck for approval and presentation purposes and never entered circulation. Pattern survivorship from small Mediterranean central banks of this period is notoriously inconsistent; many were distributed to officials or destroyed, with no systematic archival record kept.