Israel's first coins were struck in 1948–49 as the new state scrambled to establish a functioning currency after the British Mandate ended. The Pruta series was authorized under emergency monetary legislation, with production contracted to the Kremnica mint in Czechoslovakia for a portion of the early issues. Political considerations made finding a willing foreign mint a genuine logistical challenge — several countries declined.
The 1949 issues appear with and without a pearl below the date, a minor die variation that has generated considerable collector interest within the series.
Israel's first coins were struck in 1948–49 as the new state scrambled to establish a functioning currency after the British Mandate ended. The Pruta series was authorized under emergency monetary legislation, with production contracted to the Kremnica mint in Czechoslovakia for a portion of the early issues. Political considerations made finding a willing foreign mint a genuine logistical challenge — several countries declined.
The 1949 issues appear with and without a pearl below the date, a minor die variation that has generated considerable collector interest within the series.