9 Piastres - Victoria

Cyprus came under British administration in 1878 when the Ottoman Empire ceded control following the Congress of Berlin, and the island's coinage was immediately complicated by a dual-currency problem: the existing Ottoman piastre system had to be reconciled with British monetary expectations. The 9 piastres denomination was the direct result — it equated to one shilling sterling, making it the functional bridge between the two systems rather than a denomination that made any intuitive sense on its own terms.

By 1901, Victoria had less than four months to live. This is among the last Cyprus issues struck in her name before the Edward VII types were commissioned.