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1/2 Rupee
| Issuer | Bank of Mauritius |
|---|---|
| Year | 1987-2022 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Rupee (1835-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Facing right bust of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, wearing spectacles and a suit with tie, rendered in moderate relief against a plain field. The portrait is depicted in a contemporary, naturalistic style befitting a modern commemorative effigy. A circular legend surrounds the bust, reading 'DR THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAM KT', separated by a small dot or star at the base. The rim is defined by a continuous beaded border. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | DR THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAM KT |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
The Bank of Mauritius gained full central bank authority in 1967, the same year the island achieved independence from Britain, and the rupee coinage that followed deliberately retained familiar subcontinental denominations — a nod to the Indian indentured labor history that shaped the island's demographic and economic foundations. This half rupee continued essentially unchanged across three and a half decades, a span covering multiple governments and a significant 2008 financial crisis that put real pressure on the currency.
The nickel-plated steel composition replaced earlier cupro-nickel, a cost-driven change common across small island economies managing tight mint budgets in the 1980s.