The Philatelic Bureau of MaltaPost plc issued a miniature sheet to commemorate the last decimal Lm coinage in use in the Maltese Islands, through a stamp issue on 31 December, this being the final stamp issue for 2007.

Designed by philatelic artist Frank X. Ancilleri, the Miniature Sheet is 100mm x 62mm in size. The stamp on the Miniature Sheet is 35mm x 35mm, with a perforation of 14.28 x 14.28 (comb). The stamp on the last decimal Lm coinage issue has a face value of € 2.33 / Lm1.

As usual, the Miniature Sheet has been printed by Messrs Printex Limited of Qormi on Maltese Crosses watermarked paper.

The last decimal Lm coinage stamp depicts the two sides of the Lm1.00 coin, showing Malta’s National bird, the Blue Rock Thrush, ‘Il-Merill’, and the Malta Coat-of-Arms, which is also reproduced in colour on the stamp. The surround on the Miniature Sheet shows a selection of Lm decimal coins.

In May of 1972, the Malta currency system reverted to decimal. The Malta pound was divided into 100 cents, and each cent was divided into ten mils. Eight distinctive coins in base metal were issued. In November of the same year, the first series of the Numismatic Gold and Silver Sets were issued. These coins and those of subsequent issues are legal tender. On 13 December 1974 a new Constitution was approved in Parliament and Malta was proclaimed a Republic within the Commonwealth. Following this event, a new emblem was adopted.

In 1986 Malta issued its second Decimal set of coins, depicting Maltese flora and fauna and the emblem of the Republic of Malta on the back. In 1991 a new version of these coins with the new Coat of Arms of Malta on the obverse was issued.

This Miniature Sheet is available from the Philatelic Bureau of MaltaPost (Tel. 2596 1747, e-mail philately@ MaltaPost.com, postal address 305 Triq Hal Qormi, Marsa MTP 1001), from all MaltaPost postal retail outlets in Malta and Gozo, and from the Mobile Unit.