Catalog
3 Piastres
| Issuer | Government of Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943-1944 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 3 Piastres (1⁄60) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Printed in blue, the obverse is centred on an intaglio oval vignette with a facing portrait of King George VI in military uniform, set against a guilloche underprint of radiating wave patterns. Denomination corners bear '3P' numerals, with trilingual value inscriptions in Greek (ΤΡΙΑ ΓΡΟΣΙΑ) to the left and Arabic (اوچ غروش) to the right of the portrait. The date and signature of the Commissioner of Currency appear in the lower portion of the note. |
|---|---|
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| Protection type | Watermark |
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| Comments |
Cyprus was under British administration, and this fractional note was issued to address a wartime coin shortage — the kind of expedient measure that tends to vanish quickly from circulation and almost as quickly from collections. Bradbury Wilkinson's wartime output was considerable, and their London operation continued producing colonial currency even as the Blitz reshaped the city around them.
The 1943–44 date range reflects staged issue rather than a printing revision. No significant design change separates the two years.