Habib Bourguiba in profile on one side, a peasant woman harvesting olives on the other: the 1976 Tunisian dinar joins the portrait of the republic’s first president with a rural scene from the FAO series.

The obverse carries the Arabic legend «الحبيب بورقيبة رئيس الجمهورية التونسية» (Habib Bourguiba, President of the Tunisian Republic). On the reverse a woman gathers olives against ears of wheat, a tractor and a palm tree, beside the signature ELMEKKI. The design is by Hatem El Mekki, the Tunisian artist whose work appeared on many of the country’s postage stamps from 1957.

Bourguiba led Tunisia from the proclamation of the republic in 1957 until 1987. The cupronickel dinar with his portrait was struck in only two years, 1976 and 1983; the first accounted for 12 million pieces, three times the second.

Grade F-VF: the coin has circulated and wear shows on the high points of the portrait and the figure, yet the main details and Arabic legends remain legible. For a Tunisia or FAO collection it is an affordable way to fill the Bourguiba portrait type.

Would you like to complete the whole series? See the other issues in the VPcoins catalogue.