Malietoa Tanumafili II GCMG CBE (4 January 1913 – 11 May 2007) was the head of state of Samoa from independence in 1962 until his death in 2007. Tanumafili was born on 4 January 1913, the son and third child of his parents, Malietoa Tanumafili I and Momoe Lupeuluiva Meleisea. After the death of his father Malietoa I Tanumafili in 1939, he inherited the Malietoa royal title in 1940. He studied at the government-run Leififi school in Samoa. He then attended St. Stephen's School and Wesley College in Pukekohe. Shortly after Malietoa, he was appointed Special Adviser (Fautua) to the New Zealand Administration over Samoa. In his earlier career, he worked with Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole for several years and served on several conventions related to constitutional reform as part of the transition to independence. Both were also members of the Legislative Assembly before resigning in 1957. In 1959, Malietoa was appointed co-chairman of the committee that advised New Zealand lawyers on the drafting of the Samoan constitution. On Samoa's independence in 1962, Malietoa and Tupua Tamasese became O Ao o le Malo (Heads of State), jointly appointed for life by the constitution. When Tupua Tamasese died sixteen months later in April 1963, Malietoa became the sole head of state. Malietoa traveled extensively during O le Ao o le Malo's tenure. He was one of the foreign dignitaries who attended the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the funeral of Japanese Emperor Sowa in 1989. Malietoa was an active athlete in his younger years. His favorite sports included boxing, rugby and cricket. Malietoa's interest in sports continued throughout his life, and he was an avid golfer into his nineties. In 1973, Malietoa became a follower of the Bahá'í Faith. He was the first sitting head of state who was a member of the religion. His wife, Tunu Lili, whom he married in 1940, died in 1986. He had eleven children, including Papaliʻi Laupepa and Papaliʻi Momoe von Reiche. Malietoa is survived by two sons and two daughters. Malietoa died at the age of 94 on 11 May 2007 at the Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole National Hospital in Apia, where he was being treated for pneumonia. He was the oldest sitting head of state at the time of his death. He was succeeded as head of state by Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi in June 2007, and as Malietoa by his eldest surviving son Papaliʻitele Faʻamausili Molī in 2018.

II. During Malietoa Tanumafili's reign (1962-2007), Samoa's coinage underwent significant changes. Here are the highlights: 1962: 1 pence, 2 pence, 3 pence, 6 pence, 1 shilling, 2 shilling coins started, until 1967. 1967: The 50 sene coin was introduced. 1974: The 1 pence and 2 pence coins were made of aluminium. were produced. 1976: The 1 tala coin was introduced. 1984: The 2 tala coin. 2000: The 1, 2 and 5 tala coins were minted again. Several commemorative coins were minted II. During Malietoa Tanumafili's reign, these coins commemorated important events and anniversaries, the 10th anniversary of Independence in 1970, the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 1984 South Pacific Games. A portrait of Malietoa Tanumafili is shown. The Samoan coat of arms or other symbols and inscriptions can be found on the back. The inscriptions on the coins are in both Samoan and English. II. During the reign of Malietoa Tanumafili, Samoa switched to decimal currency. Before the changeover in 1962, the pound was the official currency. A tala in Samoa is worth 100 sen.