25 Santeem Non-Magnetic

Ethiopia's 1977 coinage was issued in the early years of the Derg — the military junta that had deposed Haile Selassie in 1974 and formally abolished the monarchy. The non-magnetic copper-nickel specification distinguishes this issue from a related magnetic steel variant produced around the same period, a split likely driven by supply constraints and shifting procurement contracts rather than any intentional policy change.