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4 Liri Cottonera Gate
| Issuer | Central Bank of Malta |
|---|---|
| Year | 1974 |
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| Value | 4 Pounds (4 MTL) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A detailed architectural elevation of the Cottonera Gate (also known as the Gate of Cottonera), the principal entrance to the fortified city of Vittoriosa in Malta, rendered in fine engraved relief. The Baroque facade is depicted frontally, featuring rusticated stonework, pilasters, arched openings, and an ornate central cartouche above the main arch. The date 1974 appears to the left of the structure in the field, and the denomination LM4 (rendered as the Maltese pound symbol followed by M4) is inscribed to the right. |
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| Additional information |
Issued as part of Malta's first commemorative series following independence, this piece honors the Cottonera Lines — the massive 17th-century fortification system built by the Order of St. John under Grand Master Nicolas Cotoner, whose personal fortune largely funded the project. Construction began in 1670 and was never fully completed to the original plan, leaving the landward defenses of the Three Cities perpetually unfinished.
The .987 fine silver specification places it among the purest silver issues of its decade, a deliberate choice by the Central Bank to position these early commemoratives as internationally credible pieces for a newly sovereign nation still establishing its financial identity abroad.