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5 Kwacha Dragon
| Issuer | Reserve Bank of Malawi |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Kwacha |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Right-facing crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II after the third portrait by Raphael David Maklouf, depicting the Queen wearing the George IV State Diadem with pearl drop earrings and a beaded necklace. The legend ELIZABETH II arcs along the upper periphery, while the date 2005 appears at the lower left and the denomination 5 KWACHA at the lower right, both flanking the truncation. The Malawi coat of arms is depicted at the bottom center of the field, below the portrait. The design is set against a deeply mirrored proof field, bordered by a fine dentilated rim. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central polychrome enamel roundel depicting a stylized Chinese imperial dragon rendered in vivid blue, red, green, and yellow, shown in a sinuous, dynamic pose with clawed feet extended and head turned to face the viewer, clutching a flaming pearl. The dragon is set against a gilded textured background within the central disc. The surrounding border features an ornate raised relief pattern of interlocking ruyi cloud scrolls and floral motifs in the traditional Chinese decorative style, executed in silver-plated finish against a darkened field. No legends or inscriptions appear on the reverse. |
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| Additional information |
Part of a broad series of dragon-themed legal tender issues produced for the Asian collector market in the early 2000s, this piece was struck not for Malawian circulation but entirely for export sale through overseas distributors. Malawi's Reserve Bank licensed its name to several such programs during this period, generating hard currency revenue with no expectation the coins would ever trade domestically.
The silver plating over copper-nickel was standard practice for budget collector issues targeting buyers who wanted the aesthetic of silver without the cost.