Catalog
2 Shillings
| Issuer | Government of Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1947 |
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| Currency | Pound (1879-1955) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS ΔΥΟ ΣΕΛΙΝΙΑ ايكي شلن TWO SHILLINGS COMMISSIONER OF CURRENCY |
| Reverse description | The reverse is dominated by a large multicolour guilloche medallion in violet, green, and brown tones, composed of intricate lathe-work patterns radiating from a central ornament. A horizontal rectangular cartouche at the centre bears the inscription GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS in bold serif lettering against a plain background. The overall design is uncluttered, relying entirely on the complexity of the engine-turned guilloche work for its anti-counterfeiting effect. |
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| Comments |
Cyprus had no central bank in this period — currency was issued directly by the colonial government under authority of the Cyprus Currency Notes Law. The 2 Shilling denomination was a workhorse of the wartime economy, when coinage shortages across British territories made small-denomination paper an operational necessity rather than a policy preference.
Bradbury Wilkinson's work on colonial fractional notes of this era is generally tighter than their larger-format output — intaglio printing on small stock presents genuine registration challenges, and the Cyprus series holds up well against comparable British West African and Malayan issues of the same years.