Malta paper money 1 Shilling on 2 Shillings note 1940 King George V

Maltese banknotes

Malta bank notes

Malta 1 Shilling on 2 Shillings note 1940 King George V

Maltese banknotes, Maltese paper money, Maltese bank notes, Malta banknotes, Malta paper money, Malta bank notes.

     During the height of the Siege of Malta, an acute shortage of one shilling coins occurred. Since no one shilling notes had been initially authorized under the Paper Currency Ordnance of 1939, the government amended the act to include this denomination. Immediate delivery of the notes from England was impossible as the notes had yet to be printed. Fortunately, the old stock of 1918 two shilling notes, which had never been issued, had not been destroyed and were already available on the island.
    Two shilling notes were overprinted “ 1 shilling” on the obverse and reverse, declared legal tender on 17 November 1942, and immediately placed into circulation. They were to circulate until the new 1 shilling notes could be printed in London and delivered to Malta. After the notes became available in April 1943, stocks of 1 shilling notes began to arrive as more ships entered Valletta due to the lifting of the siege. The old overprinted notes were then withdrawn, having served their purpose.

The one shilling note overprinted on old stocks of two shilling notes which had been prepared in 1918, but never used. The signature is that of Edgar Cuschieri, Malta Treasurer. The notes were originally printed by Thomas De la Rue and Company in London, but were overprinted locally and placed into circulation in November 1942.