Obverse. Image Courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS.com)
  • 20 Ariary 1988, KM# 15, Madagascar, World Wide Fund for Nature, Lemur
  • 20 Ariary 1988, KM# 15, Madagascar, World Wide Fund for Nature, Lemur
Description

The Democratic Republic of Madagascar was a socialist state that existed on the island of Madagascar from 1975 until 1992.

The name ariary derives from the pre-colonial currency with ariary (from the Spanish word "real") being the name for a silver dollar.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States. WWF is the world's largest conservation organization, with over five million supporters worldwide, working in more than 100 countries and supporting around 3,000 conservation and environmental projects. They have invested over $1 billion in more than 12,000 conservation initiatives since 1995. WWF is a foundation with 65% of funding from individuals and bequests, 17% from government sources (such as the World Bank, DFID, and USAID) and 8% from corporations in 2020.

Obverse

Star above value within 3/4 wreath. The country name in Malagasy (Democratic Republic of Madagascar) above. Date below.

REPOBLIKA DEMOKRATIKA MALAGASY
ariary
20
1988

Reverse

Depicts a lemur standing on a branch, the value on top, its name in French and scientific name below.

Lemurs (from Latin lemures lit. 'ghosts' or 'spirits') are wet-nosed primates of the superfamily Lemuroidea divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Most existing lemurs are small, have a pointed snout, large eyes, and a long tail. They chiefly live in trees and are active at night. Lemurs share resemblance with other primates, but evolved independently from monkeys and apes. Due to Madagascar's highly seasonal climate, lemur evolution has produced a level of species diversity rivaling that of any other primate group.

ARIARY ROAPOLO
..MAKI A COLLIER...LEMUR VARIEGATUS..

Edge

20 Ariary

Democratic Republic
KM# 15
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Silver
Fineness 0.925
Weight 19.44 g
Diameter 36.3 mm
Thickness 3 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

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