National skipper goes down in history with new MVR 5 cash note

Ali “Dhagandey” Ashfaq, the captain of the Maldives National Football Team, has goes down in history as the Maldives’ central bank introduced the brand new polymer currency note for MVR 5, which features an illustration of the celebrated skipper.

Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) launched the new MVR 5 polymer note early Wednesday in a ceremony held at Iskandhar School in capital Male. MMA’s Governor Azeema Adam and Minister of Education Dr Aishath Shiham were in attendance.

The design of the new MVR 5 currency note is based on the concept of communication and society. The front side of the note depicts social relationships via cultural activities and football, the most popular sport of the Maldives. The illustration of the faceless footballer is from a famous photograph of Ali Ashfaq. The other side features a conch shell, which was traditionally used as a form of communication in olden times.

The new note is designed by Ali Nashaath, who is the mastermind behind the other notes of “Ran Dhiha Faheh” (golden five decades), the Maldivian currency series that was released in January 2016 to mark fifty years of independence in the island nation. The MVR 5 note also features the special security features of the Ran Dhiha Faheh series, including an additional aspect with its value shown on the clear window in the note.

MMA stated that the new MVR 5 note will be released into circulation early July. The authority also commenced special programs early Wednesday to raise awareness regarding the new currency notes at centres established at Velana Building, Villimale ferry terminal, Hulhumale ferry terminal, Maldives Ports Ltd office and the Republic Square.

The Ran Dhiha Faheh currency series feature the notes MVR 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and the brand new MVR 1,000 note. MMA had originally intended to replace the current MVR 5 cash note with coins but later altered the plan to print MVR 5 on polymer instead.

Meanwhile, MMA also plans to release a new MVR 2 coin later this year, which they stated will be lighter than the current coin.