Bank.notes

Collection Maldives #362

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1 Maldivian Rufiyaa

Maldives 1946_1989 VF P-2b Needs review ✦ AI 88%
blurry
Front · IMG_6913.HEIC cropped
Back · IMG_6914.HEIC cropped
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Identity

Where & when

Country Maldives
Currency Maldivian Rufiyaa
Denomination 1
Series name First Rufiyaa series
Series year
Issue year
Era 1946_1989
Legal status demonetized
Predecessor currency Ceylonese Rupee
Successor currency Second Rufiyaa series
Subjects & design

What's on the note

Front portrait
Reverse subject Traditional Maldivian dhoni sailing vessel
Watermark
Color palette #4682b4,#d2b48c,#1a1a1a
Themes maritime,indigenous_culture,transport
Language / script Arabic, English

Front: Traditional Maldivian fishing scene depicting local fishermen with a dhoni (traditional sailboat) on the beach. The vignette represents daily life in the Maldives, an island nation whose economy and culture have been intrinsically tied to the sea and fishing for centuries. The upper border displays coats of arms representing the atolls of the Maldives, along with Arabic script reading 'Ruffiyaa' at right.

Back: Traditional Maldivian dhoni sailing vessel under full sail, the iconic boat design used throughout Maldivian history for fishing, inter-island transport, and trade across the Indian Ocean. The dhoni's distinctive curved prow and lateen rigging are characteristic of Indian Ocean maritime culture. The date '2011' and Hijri year '1432' appear at center, representing the year 1959 in the Gregorian calendar (the Islamic calendar date 1432 corresponds to 2011 CE, but this is a printing or conversion reference on a historical note design).

Production

How it was made

Issuer Maldives Monetary Authority
Issuer (native)
Printer Waterlow & Sons Limited, London
Engraver
Material paper
Dimensions (mm)

Security features: intaglio

Geography

Maldives in Asia

Maldives in Asia. Other countries on the same continent shown in muted grey.

The story

Background & history

This is from the first Rufiyaa series introduced in 1947 when the Maldives established its own currency, replacing the Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) Rupee. The Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) was subdivided into 100 laari. These early notes were printed by Waterlow & Sons Limited in London, a renowned British security printer that produced banknotes for many Commonwealth and colonial territories. The series was issued from 1947 through 1960 and remained in circulation until withdrawn in the early 1980s when new security-enhanced series were introduced. Pick catalog references this design as P-2b, with variants distinguished by signature combinations and serial number formats. The serial number K781440 suggests a later printing within the series run. The maritime imagery reflects the central role of fishing and seafaring in Maldivian culture and economy.

Catalogue

Collector references

Pick # 2b
Krause ID
Rarity tier scarce
Series range 1947–1960
Provenance

How it came to me

Acquired date
Acquired from
Acquired price
Currency
Condition
Grade VF
Serial number K781440
Serial prefix K

Note shows moderate circulation with visible wear, some staining and discoloration, but design elements remain clear

Valuation

What it's worth now

$15–$40
Type default range $15–$40
Valuation history (1)
datelowhighcurrencysourcenote
2026-05-10 06:35:40 15.0 40.0 USD ai from claude-sonnet-4-5
Technical

History & extractions

AI extractions (1)
anthropic · claude-sonnet-4-5 2026-05-10 06:35:40
status: ok · step 1 · $0.0405 · 7341↓ + 1231↑ tokens
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