50 Tālā Independence

Issued to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Samoan independence — the country became the first Pacific Island nation to gain independence from colonial rule, in 1962, under a constitution developed through negotiations with New Zealand. The commemorative 50 Tālā denomination is not part of the standard circulating series, which makes survivor rates in uncirculated condition unusually high; these were largely set aside rather than spent.

The hybrid substrate — a polymer-paper composite rather than pure polymer — was still a relative novelty for De La Rue at this date, positioned as a middle-ground option for issuers cautious about fully committing to polymer.