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1/2 Piastre - Victoria
| Issuer | Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Year | 1879-1900 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 27.5 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The denomination numeral '1/2' is displayed prominently at the centre within a raised circle of beads. A circular legend surrounds the central device, reading 'CYPRUS' and 'HALF PIASTRE', separated by ornamental stops. The overall design is simple and heraldic in character, with a plain field inside and outside the bead border. |
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| Additional information |
Cyprus came under British administration in 1878 as part of a convention with the Ottoman Empire, and this issue was among the first coinage struck for the new administration. The piastre denomination was retained deliberately — a concession to continuity on an island that had used Ottoman monetary units for centuries, even as London imposed its own governance.
The KM#2 series spans over two decades and multiple mint years, with 1881 being notable for an extremely low mintage relative to others in the run.