Malta 1-LIRE (KM82)¶
-
Reverse: BLUE ROCK-THRUSH (aka "Merrill")
-
Obverse: Republic of Malta; Marine scene
- Composition
- Nickel
- Country
- Malta
- Approx. Size
- 30mm
- Area
- Europe
- Animal Class
- Birds
- Species
- Blue Rock-thrush
- KM#
- 82
The Blue Rock-thrush is Malta's national bird, but there it is apparently known as the "Merrill." While references to this name are thin on the web, I'll take the Central Bank of Malta's word for it in this case. However, if you wish to learn more about the bird, searching for "Merrill" will not take you too far.
Malta¶
- Area
- Europe
The Republic of Malta is an archipelego in the Mediterranean 93 km south of Sicily, and was first settled by stone age people around 5,200 BCE. Due to its strategic location, Malta has a long and rich history with various groups and governments ruling the islands, starting with the Greeks in 700 BCE and ending with the British Empire in 1814. Independence was achived in 1964, and the Republic was formed ten years later. Malta has three World Heritage sites, most notably the Megalithic Temples which are the oldest free-standing structures in Europe.
