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5 Euro Cents Specimen
| Issuer | Malta |
|---|---|
| Year | 2003-2004 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Armored bust of Jean Parisot de la Valette facing slightly left, rendered in fine relief, wearing plate armor adorned with the eight-pointed Maltese Cross on the chest. The legend 'JEAN PARISOT DE LA VALETTE' arcs above the effigy, flanked by Maltese cross ornaments. The inscriptions 'PRUEBA', 'TRIAL', 'ESSAI', and 'PROBE' — the word for 'trial' in Spanish, English, French, and German respectively — are distributed around the periphery alongside additional Maltese cross devices. The year '2003' appears to the left of the bust, with the engraver's initials 'G' and 'VL.' in the lower left field, and 'MALTA' inscribed at the base. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | PRUEBA TRIAL ESSAI PROBE JEAN PARISOT DE LA VALETTE 2003 G VL. MALTA |
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| Additional information |
Malta struck specimen and proof sets dated 2003 and 2004 in anticipation of euro adoption, which ultimately took effect on 1 January 2008 — one of the longer gaps between an accession state's preparatory coinage and actual currency changeover. These pre-adoption issues were produced under agreement with the European Central Bank and were not legal tender at the time of striking.
The weight here is notably heavier than the circulating 5 euro cent, which runs 3.92 g — suggesting a thick flan or set-specific planchet rather than production-spec stock.