The days of the Maltese lira are now practically over as the dual circulation of Malta’s old and new currency came to a close at midnight last night.

In truth, the lira had fizzled out of usage merely nine days after the euro was introduced on 1 January, said National Euro Changeover Currency spokesman Melvyn Mangion.

The Lm sign will nonetheless be mandatory by law for retailers and service providers to show alongside the price in euro until the end of June.

Now that the euro is the sole currency in circulation, the euro centres around the Malta will also bid their farewell. However, the now-famous linja ewro 154 will still carry on functioning as before.

The Maltese can also log on to www.euro.gov.mt in order to place their complaints while they can keep track of any price movements by logging on to www.pricewatch.org.mt. The site monitors the price developments of almost 300 frequently purchased items and services available throughout the islands.

Mr Mangion told this newspaper that NECC has investigated a few dozen complaints. More than half of the complaints investigated resulted in retailers being asked by NECC to revert their products and services to the original price.

Anyone still having loose change in Maltese liri notes and coins can still exchange them in commercial banks until March.

Otherwise, treasure hunters are advised that they can exchange their Maltese liri coins at the Central Bank of Malta until 2010 while banknotes will still be exchangeable until 2018.

As from today, Maltapost plc will start exchanging Lm denominated stamps into euro denominated stamps. There is no need to exchange dual denomination stamps.