Catalog
1/4 Piastre - Victoria
| Issuer | Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Year | 1879-1901 |
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| Reference(s) | KM#1 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A large fractional numeral '1/4' is displayed prominently at the centre of the field, enclosed within a circle of beads. The circular legend CYPRUS QUARTER PIASTRE runs along the inner periphery, separated by raised dots. The overall design is plain and functional, typical of British colonial bronze coinage of the late Victorian era. |
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| Additional information |
Cyprus came under British administration in 1878 following the Cyprus Convention, through which the Ottoman Empire ceded control to Britain in exchange for a defensive alliance against Russia. The island's coinage was immediately reorganized, with the piastre system retained from Ottoman practice but subdivided to British administrative preferences. This denomination — the smallest in the new series — was struck at the Royal Mint across a span of 22 years, covering nearly the entirety of Victoria's remaining reign after annexation.
KM#1 varieties differ meaningfully by date and mintage; the 1879 opening issue carries the highest collector premium of the series.