50 Santeem magnetic

Ethiopia's shift to copper-nickel plated steel for this denomination was a cost-driven decision tied to the Derg military junta's broader restructuring of the economy after deposing Haile Selassie in 1974. The magnetic planchet distinguished it from the earlier KM#47.1 struck in solid copper-nickel — a distinction that matters for type collectors but was invisible to everyday users in Addis Ababa's markets.

The issue ran across nearly four decades and three distinct political regimes, from the Derg through the transitional government to the FDRE.