1 MGA – 1966
$ 13
A striking emblem of early post-colonial Madagascar, this 1966 5 Francs / 1 Ariary coin—crafted during the First Republic—boasts a proud poinsettia blossom atop the obverse under the inscription “FAMOAHAMBOLAN’NY REPOBLIKA MALAGASY”, while its reverse features the denomination elegantly nestled between the horns of a zebu, echoing agrarian identity. Minted in Paris in robust stainless steel (22.1 mm, ~5 g), this coin reflects the dual currency era when the traditional ariary coexisted with the lingering French franc—a monetary dialogue that would only conclude decades later with the full adoption of the ariary as the national currency.
1. Overview
- Issuer / Issuing bank: Republic of Madagascar, issued by the Central Bank of Madagascar (Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara) (Wikipedia).
- Period: First Republic of Madagascar (1958–1975) and into the Second Republic (1975–1992) (Numista, Wikipedia).
- Type: Standard circulating coin.
- Years of Issuance: From 1966 to 1989 (Numista, Wikipedia).
- Value / Currency: Denomination of 5 Francs, equivalent to 1 Ariary (1 Ar = 5 Francs) (Numista, Wikipedia).
- Composition: Made of stainless steel (Numista, Foronum).
- Weight: Approximately 5 g (Numista, Hobby of Kings).
- Diameter: Ca. 22 mm (some sources state 22.10 mm) (Numista, Foronum).
- Thickness: About 1.94 mm (Numista, Hobby of Kings).
- Shape: Round, with plain edge (milled technique) (Numista, Hobby of Kings).
- Orientation: Coin alignment (↑↓) (Numista).
- Demonetized?: This coin is no longer in circulation—while never officially demonetized at a specific date, it ceased to be issued after 1989 and has been superseded by newer Ariary denominations (Wikipedia).
2. Design & Imagery
- Obverse (Recto): Displays a poinsettia flower above the date. The legend reads “FAMOAHAMBOLAN’NY REPOBLIKA MALAGASY” (Republic of Madagascar) in Malagasy (Numista, Hobby of Kings, Wikipedia).
- Reverse (Verso): Features the denomination 5 FRANCS and ARIARY within the stylized horns of an ox (zebu) head, with decorative sprigs flanking the image (Numista, Hobby of Kings, Wikipedia).
- Engraver: Designed by Raymond Joly for both obverse and reverse (Numista).
3. Security Features
Standard minting techniques of the era were used; as a low-denomination stainless steel coin, it includes no sophisticated anti-counterfeiting features. Its security relied on routine mint quality control.
4. Production Details & Variants
- Mint: Struck at Monnaie de Paris, France (Paris and, post-1973, Pessac), bearing the appropriate mintmarks (Numista, Wikipedia).
- Mintmarks / Artisans: Earlier issues (pre-1974) carry the “owl” mark of Raymond Joly, later issues (post-1974) have the “dolphin” mark of Émile Rousseau (Numista).
- KM Reference: Cataloged as KM #10; Numista catalog number 1849 (Numista, Foronum).
- Mintage: For 1966, estimated mintage is around 5,000,000 coins (Numista).
- Variants: The coin design remained consistent throughout its issuance; no major variant known beyond the change in mint engraver’s mark (Numista, Wikipedia).
5. Cultural & Historical Notes
- The Ariary is one of the world’s rare non-decimal currencies, subdivided into 5 iraimbilanja (where 1 iraimbilanja matches the franc) (Wikipedia, Wikipedia).
- Between 1961 and 2005, coins and banknotes displayed values in both Francs and Ariary, reflecting the gradual shift from colonial currency (Wikipedia, Wikipedia).
- The poinsettia and zebu carry symbolic weight: the poinsettia evokes local flora; the zebu is a powerful cultural and economic symbol central to Malagasy identity and agrarian life.
- With eventual currency reform—officially replacing the franc with the ariary in 2005—the coin’s double denomination became obsolete (Wikipedia, Wikipedia).
Summary Table
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Issuer | Republic of Madagascar |
| Issuing Authority | Central Bank of Madagascar |
| Period | First–Second Republic (1958–1992) |
| Years Issued | 1966–1989 |
| Denomination | 5 Francs / 1 Ariary |
| Composition | Stainless steel |
| Weight | ~5 g |
| Diameter | ~22 mm |
| Thickness | ~1.94 mm |
| Shape & Edge | Round, plain edge (milled) |
| Obverse Design | Poinsettia, date, “FAMOAHAMBOLAN’NY REPOBLIKA MALAGASY” |
| Reverse Design | Zebu horns framing denomination, sprigs |
| Engraver | Raymond Joly |
| Mint | Monnaie de Paris (owl/dolphin marks) |
| Variants | Mint engraver mark changed; design otherwise stable |
| Security Features | Standard minting—no advanced security |
| Cultural Notes | Non-decimal currency, bicameral denomination, national symbols |
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