The Patriotic Liberation Army, a former rebel organization active in Myanmar, issued three coins in 1970 denominated at 1, 2, and 4 mu. This is the smallest – a One Mu. 0.0643 troy ounce of pure gold (2 grams). Each of the three coins is composed of pure 24-carat gold. A Green Peacock (Pavo muticus), a species of bird native to and revered in Myanmar, is displayed in the center of each coin’s obverse. Flanking the bird to the left and right are indications of the mass. Featured on the reverse of the three coins is the Burmese name of U Nu, the first and third Prime Minister of Myanmar. At some point, the government of the Union of Burma declared ownership of these coins illegal, and anyone in possession of one would be punished with death. As a result, many people defaced the coins by pounding them into gold wafers.
