The lira (Arabic: ليره, plural: lire, abbreviation: MAL), officially known as the Military Authority Lira, was the currency of the British zone of occupation (later Mandate Territory) in Libya between 1943 and 1951, and of the province of Tripolitania until early 1952. It was issued by the Military Authority in Tripolitania and circulated together with the Italian lira at par. This situation reflected that of Italy, where the AM-lira was minted by the United States. The Tripolitanian and the Italian lira were replaced in early 1952 by the Libyan pound at a rate of £L1 = 480 MAL.[1]

Tripolitanian lira
Tripolitanian 5 lire note
Unit
Plurallire
SymbolMAL
Denominations
Subunit
1100cent
Banknotes1 MAL, 2 MAL, 5 MAL, 10 MAL, 50 MAL, 100 MAL, 500 MAL, 1,000 MAL
Coinscirculating coins of the Italian lira
Demographics
Replaced byLibyan pound
User(s)None, previously:
United Kingdom BMA/BA Tripolitania (1943-1951)
Libya Tripolitania Province, Kingdom of Libya (1951-1952)
Issuance
Central bankMilitary Authority in Tripolitania
Valuation
Pegged with£1 sterling = 480 MAL
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete.

Paper money

edit

No coins were issued for this currency, with old Italian coins still circulating, although heavily devalued. The 50 centesimo piece for example was worth just a quarter of a penny. Notes were issued in denominations of 1 lira and 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 lire.

References

edit
  1. ^ Libya: Kingdom regional issues (1951-1969). Revenue Reverend, 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2014.