Noel Galea Bason, the artist behind the design of Malta’s 1986 Maltese Lira and 2007 Euro coins, has died aged 71.News of his passing sparked tributes from across Malta’s artistic community, particularly in Floriana, where he was born, raised and worked throughout much of his life.According to Times of Malta, Galea Bason graduated from Rome’s Scuola dell’Arte della Medaglia in 1978 before joining the Malta Mint at the Central Bank of Malta, becoming the first Maltese artist to design coins for the country.Beyond coin design, he was also responsible for several public monuments and commemorative works, including the Dom Mintoff monument in Castille Square and a relief of Pope John Paul II commissioned during the pontiff’s 1990 visit to Malta.His artistic works were also presented to international dignitaries during official state visits, including Queen Elizabeth II.Tributes poured in online following news of his death, with many describing him as a key figure in Malta’s artistic and cultural identity.Photo: Numista•