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18 Piastres - George VI
| Issuer | Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Year | 1938-1940 |
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| Currency | Pound (1879-1955) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The central device features the Arms of Cyprus comprising three passant lions arranged in a heraldic composition, designed by George Kruger Gray whose initials 'KG' appear in the lower field. The legend CYPRUS arcs across the top of the coin, while EIGHTEEN PIASTRES curves along the lower periphery, with the date placed to the right, all within a beaded border. Small decorative mullets serve as separators within the legend. The lions are rendered with considerable sculptural detail, their bodies and manes finely modelled in relief against the smooth field. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Cyprus was under British administration from 1878 and became a Crown Colony in 1925, but the piastre-based currency system — inherited from Ottoman rule — was retained rather than replaced with a straightforward sterling subdivision. The 18-piastre denomination was equal to one shilling and sixpence, an awkward conversion that reflected the practical difficulty of dismantling a deeply embedded local monetary tradition.
Production of this type ceased in 1940 as wartime silver pressures mounted across the British Empire. The 1938 issue was the first for George VI following his accession after the abdication crisis.