50 Meticais FAO, Silver Proof issue

Issued under the FAO coin program, which ran from the late 1960s into the 1980s as a United Nations–affiliated initiative encouraging member nations to mint coins highlighting food security and agricultural development. Mozambique's participation came less than a decade after independence from Portugal in 1975, during a period when the Frelimo government was attempting to collectivize agriculture — a policy that was already failing badly by 1983 under pressure from drought, civil war with Renamo, and South African destabilization campaigns.

The .925 silver proof version was struck for collector export, generating hard currency the country desperately needed.