Kiribati adopted its constitution and became an independent republic in 1979, separating from the Gilbert Islands colony after Britain had already relinquished the Ellice Islands — which became Tuvalu — two years prior. The new nation inherited almost no monetary infrastructure, and its commemorative coinage program became one of the few revenue streams available to a government with no significant exports beyond fishing licenses and copra.
KM#25 is a small-series issue with limited distribution outside specialist Pacific collections.
Kiribati adopted its constitution and became an independent republic in 1979, separating from the Gilbert Islands colony after Britain had already relinquished the Ellice Islands — which became Tuvalu — two years prior. The new nation inherited almost no monetary infrastructure, and its commemorative coinage program became one of the few revenue streams available to a government with no significant exports beyond fishing licenses and copra.
KM#25 is a small-series issue with limited distribution outside specialist Pacific collections.