50 Sene - Tanumafili II

Samoa's 1967 coinage series, of which this piece forms part, was issued the same year Western Samoa joined the International Monetary Fund — a significant step for a nation that had only gained full independence from New Zealand trusteeship in 1962. Tanumafili II, who co-held the O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State) position at issue, would eventually outlive his co-head Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole and rule sole until his death in 2007, making him one of the longest-serving heads of state of the twentieth century.