5 Liri

Malta's 1973 note series was the first issued under the Central Bank of Malta following the institution's establishment by act of parliament in 1968 — a transition that replaced the Currency Board system that had operated since colonial rule. The 5 Liri occupied the highest denomination in the original series, and De La Rue produced the print run with their characteristic intaglio work on cotton substrate.

The watermark remains the primary security feature — modest by later standards, but consistent with De La Rue's approach for smaller-economy clients of that period. Malta joined the Commonwealth as a republic in December 1974, just a year after issue, and subsequent printings carried adjusted legal text to reflect the change in constitutional status.