5 Diners - Joan Martí i Alanis Catalan Language

Andorra issued its first domestic coinage only in 1982, having relied on French francs and Spanish pesetas as de facto currencies for centuries — a side effect of its unusual co-princeship arrangement, under which the Bishop of Urgell and the French head of state share sovereignty. Joan Martí i Alanis, Bishop of Urgell from 1971 to 2003, was one of the two co-princes at the time of this issue and the only one with a permanent physical presence in the territory.

The Catalan-language designation on this piece was a deliberate assertion — Andorra is the only country where Catalan holds sole official status.