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250 Maloti Coronation of King Letsie III
| Issuer | Central Bank of Lesotho |
|---|---|
| Year | 1997 |
| Type | Non-circulating coin |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing draped bust of His Majesty King Letsie III occupying the central field, rendered in high relief with fine portrait detail including jacket and tie. The circumferential legend reads 'H.M. KING LETSIE III · CORONATION' along the upper arc and '31ST OCTOBER 1997' along the lower arc, separated by small lozenge stops. The portrait conveys a formal, regal presentation befitting a coronation commemorative issue. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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Letsie III's path to the throne was anything but straightforward. He had been installed as king in 1990 after his father, Moshoeshoe II, was deposed by the military government of Lekhanya — then abdicated in 1995 to allow Moshoeshoe II to return, only to reclaim the throne after his father died in a disputed horse-riding accident at the royal cattle post in January 1996. The coronation this coin commemorates, held in October 1997, was therefore the formal conclusion of nearly a decade of dynastic instability.
The .917 fineness matches the traditional crown gold standard, a deliberate choice for a coronation issue.