Information about currency: Maltese Lira

The lira (Maltese: lira Maltija, plural: liri, ISO 4217 code: MTL) was the currency of Malta from 1972 until 31 December 2007. The lira was abbreviated as Lm, although the traditional ₤ sign was often used locally. In English, the currency was still frequently called the pound because of the past usage of British currency on the islands.

The country switched from British pre-decimal pounds to Maltese pounds in May 1972; the new currency was divided into 100 cents, and the 1 cent into 10 mils. The pound (lira in Maltese) was initially equal to the pound sterling, however this parity did not survive long after the floating of sterling on 22 June 1972. Until 1985, banknotes were written in Maltese on the obverse using the denomination "liri", and in English on the reverse using "pounds". From 1986 to 2007, Maltese and liri were used on both sides.

The euro replaced the Maltese lira as the official currency of Malta on 1 January 2008 at the irrevocable fixed exchange rate of €1 per 0.4293 lira.