Maldives 500 Rufiyaa Banknote (Dhow Ship Series Type 2006)

500 Rufiyaa (Issued 2006)

Surviving examples of the 2006 500 Rufiyaa banknote are now genuinely scarce in circulation, as the note was withdrawn from legal tender status following the Maldives Monetary Authority’s programme of currency modernisation that concluded in 2013. The combination of its high face value — meaning it was actively used in commerce rather than preserved — and the relatively limited size of the Maldivian economy has meant that well-preserved examples are far less common than might be expected. Banknote historians regard this series as significant for its representation of Maldivian maritime and Islamic cultural heritage at a particularly important period in the island nation’s economic development. Those holding examples in any grade of preservation will find that the 2006 date, combined with the ascending serial number security feature, makes this a distinctive issue within the 1995–2013 full printing series.

On the front, the design is dominated by a rich salmon-pink and peach colour palette, with the large numeral “500” appearing prominently in the upper left corner and repeated again in the lower right, rendered in bold crimson-red typography against the pale background. A tall, graceful traditional Maldivian dhow with a striking red-orange lateen sail is depicted to the right of centre, its rigging and hull rendered with fine intaglio-style line engraving that captures the vessel in full sail upon stylised water. To the left, a cluster of elongated swordfish or similar billfish are depicted in grey-green tonal engraving, their forms arranged dynamically across the lower left portion of the face. A vertical security strip runs through the note, printed with the lettering “MVR” repeated at intervals. The serial number “D878954” appears twice — once vertically along the left side in black ink and once horizontally in the lower right in matching black — in the ascending size format characteristic of this series. The issue year 2006 is clearly printed in the centre of the note, alongside the corresponding Islamic calendar year 1427, with surrounding text in the Dhivehi script of the Maldives. Two signature lines are present beneath the central text block, accompanied by further Dhivehi script identifying the issuing authority. Elaborate guilloché rosette patterns and fine geometric latticework form the background across the full face of the note, with a decorative upper border incorporating repeating motifs in deeper rose and burgundy tones. A nautilus or conch shell motif is visible in the lower left corner, adding further reference to the Maldives’ oceanic identity.

The reverse presents the Grand Friday Mosque — locally known as Masjid-al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam — in Malé, the capital of the Maldives, rendered as the central and commanding image of the design. The mosque is depicted in full colour, its large golden dome gleaming at the centre of the composition, flanked by a slender white minaret to the left and a broad, colonnaded frontage extending across the width of the building. The surrounding grounds include green trees and a clear sky with white clouds suggested in the background. To the left of the mosque, a large circular cartouche contains the numeral “500” in bold red against an intricate red latticework ground, framed by ornate green scroll and wave motifs. The upper right corner carries the text “Five Hundred Rufiyaa” in English in red lettering, with “500” again printed boldly in red immediately beside it. The issuing authority’s name, “MALDIVES MONETARY AUTHORITY”, is printed in a clear serif typeface across the lower portion of the reverse in dark lettering, set against the peach and cream background. A decorative arched border incorporating pink and red floral motifs — suggesting rose blooms — frames the upper portion of the reverse composition, lending an ornate quality to the overall layout. Fine guilloché background patterns in pale orange and cream fill the remaining space, and a further panel of decorative Islamic geometric patterning appears along the right-hand edge of the note.

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• Indicate the quantity of 500 Rufiyaa Rufiyaa banknotes you want to exchange
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Other Maldivian Rufiyaa you can exchange: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 1000, 5000.