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1/2 Gros - James II
| Issuer | Cyprus, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1460-1473 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.7 g |
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| Obverse description | Crowned facing bust of James II set within an inner beaded circle, rendered in the crude late-medieval hammered style characteristic of Lusignan Cyprus coinage. The king is depicted in three-quarter facing view, wearing a stylized crown, with the portrait occupying the central field. A circular legend in Latin uncial script surrounds the effigy between the inner beaded ring and an outer beaded border at the rim. |
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| Obverse lettering | + IACOB S DEI G R IER |
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| Additional information |
James II seized the Cypriot throne in 1460 after defeating his half-sister Charlotte and her Savoyard husband in a prolonged civil war, aided decisively by Mamluk Egypt — a debt he repaid through substantial tribute. His reign marks the last period of genuinely independent Lusignan rule; within a year of his death in 1473, Venice had effectively absorbed the island through his widow, Catherine Cornaro. Coins from his tenure circulate rarely, the island's economy having been badly disrupted by the succession conflict.