Information about effigy: Coat of Arms of the Central Bank of Malta

The Armorial Bearings (logo) of the bank were established by Letters Patent by the College of Arms in the United Kingdom, and are based on a design by the well-known Maltese artist, Chevalier Emvin Cremona. The artist sought to capture an element expressive of the Maltese spirit, namely, the mural crown surmounting the crest - symbolic of Malta's historic role as a fortress; the Maltese national colours, red and white, on the shield; the George Cross, awarded to Malta for bravery in April 1942 by King George VI and reproduced on the Bank's shield by authority of the Prime Minister of Malta; the dolphin on the head of the key, a fish known in classical Mediterranean literature and often appearing as a prime heraldic figure; and the laurel and palm branches, symbols of honour and peace, respectively, supporting the mural crown. The horizontal key on the shield is appropriate to the Armorial Bearings of the Bank, the governing financial institution in Malta and a key to economic progress and security. The design also contains, in Latin, the motto, "Fiducia Fortis" - "In Confidence Strength," and "1968", the date of the Bank's foundation.

The two supporting Knights of Malta are a unique feature with very special significance. The granting of supporters to Armorial Bearings is a privilege allowed only to major institutions. The Knights represent confidence and strength, the two virtues incorporated in the Bank's motto. These symbolise some of the greatest pages in Malta's long military history, which, for more than two-and-a-half centuries, was ruled by the Order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. The plumed helmet of a knight which surmounts the shield also has a special connection to Malta as it was modelled on one found on a monument in the 16th century Co-Cathedral of St John in Valletta, built by the Knights.

The official copy of the Bank's Armorial Bearings contains colours reflecting Malta's historic past. The Knights on either side of the shield are of a steely blue colour. The feathers composing the plume on each helm on the Knights' heads are in red and white, while the blades, quillons and the pommel of the two-handed swords, together with the cords and tassels hanging from them are in gold, the same colour of the mural crown above the crest.