A dhivehi odi sailing boat in full sail, a bunch of coconuts and cowrie shells: the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) kept this front design on all its paper notes from 1983 right up to the switch to polymer. The ten rufiyaa of 1998 comes from a later version of this series.

The back shows a village scene: Maldivians at work in the shade of a tree, with chickens wandering nearby. The signature on the sheet belongs to Maumoon Abdul Gayoom: president of the country from 1978 to 2008, he also headed the MMA from 1981 to 2004.

After the polymer series came out, the old paper notes ceased to be legal tender after 31 July 2016; they could still be exchanged at the MMA for five more years, until 31 July 2021.

For a Maldives collection this is the ten of the last paper series, and for an ethnographic theme it shows an everyday scene of island village life. UNC condition means the note has never circulated: no folds, no wear, no soiling, even corners — just as it left the press.

The VPcoins catalogue unites coins and banknotes from many countries and eras.