By Tyler Rusnak

At the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa lies a single island steeped in history and numismatic tradition. Cyprus, although small, has been home to thriving industries, strategic bases, and even the Greek goddess Aphrodite (in mythology, of course), but at the same time has experienced great tumults. Coinage began in the 6th century BCE, while under the Persian yoke, with major cities serving as kingdoms and striking coins at their own mints. The first mints at Salamis, Amathus, Lapethos, Paphos, Kitium, and Golgi struck silver statars to pay tributes to their Persian governance. Over time, as Cyprus fell under the rule of empire after empire, many of the mints ceased operations until the last coins, the Famagusta siege pieces of 1570, were struck as its namesake city fell to the Ottoman Empire.

Until Ottoman control ended in 1878 and British rule began, no coins were struck for Cyprus. The first coins produced bore the image of Queen Victoria and were denominated by shillings, piastres (a denomination left from Ottoman rule), and pence. To simplify exchange, in 1955, the British colonial government created a decimal system of coinage that abolished the piastre and divided the Cyprus pound into 1000 mils. This new system utilized 3 mil, 5 mil, 25 mil, 50 mil, and 100 mil coinage denominations as well as paper notes in denominations 250 mils, 500 mils, 1 pound, and 5 pounds. In 1960, Cyprus gained independence for the first time in millennia, and proceeded to order its first coins from the Royal Mint in London in February 1963.

Before said coins could be ordered, however, the issue of design had to be resolved. The early independent government was parceled out in such a way that the Turkish-Cypriot minority that remained from Ottoman rule a century earlier would be well represented in every major decision making capacity of the government. As such, the committee tasked with appropriating designs for the new coinage was composed of, as well as divided by, a Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot component. In particular, the Greek-Cypriots favored classic designs that catered to the Island’s millennia old Hellenic traditions. Some designs supported by this side included Bacchus, the Greek god of wine; Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love; an Octopus, an image found on an ancient coin of the island; a bronze stand, and ancient artifact from the city of Curium; and a sheep or a bull, both ancient Cypriot symbols. The Turkish-Cypriot side, however, favored modern motifs that catered to their more recent cultural inclusion. Among the motifs discussed were the Moufflon, the only horned animal native to the island; a bunch of grapes, signifying the world-renowned wine industry in Cyprus; Carnations; A Cypriot Chukor (a partridge); and two hands holding a torch. In the end, it appears that the Turkish-Cypriot side won out, and of the five designs chosen – the Moufflon, a bunch of grapes, a cedar cone, a sailing boat, and ears of “corn” (wheat) for the 100 mils, 50 mils, 25 mils, 5 mils, and 1 mil coin respectively – only the ancient sailing boat can be attributed to the Greek-Cypriot designs (this very same ship appeared on the 100 mils piece in 1955).

William Gardner, the die engraver working for the Royal Mint in London who designed most of the late British colonial rule coinage in Cyprus, was commissioned to prepare the designs for the coins. Once completed, the coins were struck in a cupro-nickel alloy, save the 1 and 5 mils pieces which were struck in Aluminum and bronze respectively. The first shipment was sent in February 1963, with more ordered in 1968 and yearly from 1970-1982 with the exception of 1975, although not every denomination was represented in every order. In fact, the almost worthless one mil piece was discontinued after 1970. In October of 1983, the country abolished the mils system in favor of Cents, thus dividing the Cypriot Pound into 100 units. Denominations included the half cent, one cent, two cents, five cents, ten cents, and twenty cents. The half cent, much like the one mil piece, had little value and was discontinued after 1983 while another denomination, the fifty cent piece, was introduced in 1991. Finally, in 2008, the country formally switched to the Euro, ending an era of Cyprus-specific currency.

Like the greater world of numismatics beyond, the coinage of Cyprus details the long, rich, and sometimes turbulent tides of history. I have only touched upon the surface of Cypriot numismatics; there is an infinite well of stories that lie in the many civilizations and cultures that have called the island home and left behind their numismatic traditions. As conflicts continue towards present-day, especially those that divided the island in 1974 between Turkish and Greek Cypriot factions, their coins are sure to continue to reflect the turning political tide.

Sources

• Coldstream, J. N., David Hunt, and V. Karageorghis. Footprints in Cyprus: An Illustrated  History. London: Trigraph, 1984. Print.
  
• Pridmore, F. Modern Coins and Notes of Cyprus. N.p.: Central Bank of Cyprus, 1975. Print.
  
• Vlamis, B. E. “A Brief History of Cyprus Coin Mints 560 BC to 1570 AD.” Cyprus Numismatic Society Numismatic Report IV (1973): 40-42. Print.
  

CYPRUS. Salamis. Evagoras I (ca. 411-374 BC).

AR stater or didrachm (22mm, 11.08 gm, 6h). Bearded head of Heracles right, wearing lion-skin headdress; Evagoro (in Cypriot) to right / Ram recumbent right; barley grain above; A, basileus, and EY (in Cypriot) around. BMC 55 var. (rev. legend). SNG Copenhagen 47. Tziambazis 113. Rare, with a particularly sharp reverse. Incorrectly identified as “Amathus” on the NGC holder. Obverse die a little worn, otherwise an exceptional example. NGC XF 3/5 – 3/5.

George V 45 Piastres 1928 UNC, KM19

Lightly wiped long ago. Struck to celebrate 50 years of British rule.

Victoria Specimen 1/4 Piastre 1882-H SP64 Red and Brown NGC

Heaton mint, KM1.1. An extremely rare Specimen issue from the early days of British influence in Cyprus with knife-like crispness throughout the design and sparkling luster in the fields that results from significant die polish lines (as made). The color, mostly red, varies slightly on each side with the obverse showcasing bright orange-red at the edges with some faded burgundy-red in the centers and the reverse being more even pinkish-red with tiny dapples of purple tone. While trivial in appearance, a single instance of contact in the field to the left of the Victoria’s crown is the only post-strike flaw of note.

CYPRUS. Salamis. Evagoras I (ca. 411-374 BC)

AR stater or didrachm (22mm, 11.08 gm, 6h). Bearded head of Heracles right, wearing lion-skin headdress; Evagoro (in Cypriot) to right / Ram recumbent right; barley grain above; A, basileus, and EY (in Cypriot) around. BMC 55 var. (rev. legend). SNG Copenhagen 47. Tziambazis 113. Rare, with a particularly sharp reverse. Incorrectly identified as “Amathus” on the NGC holder. Obverse die a little worn, otherwise an exceptional example. NGC XF 3/5 – 3/5.

George V 45 Piastres 1928 UNC, KM19

Lightly wiped long ago. Struck to celebrate 50 years of British rule.

Victoria Specimen 1/4 Piastre 1882-H SP64 Red and Brown NGC

Heaton mint, KM1.1. An extremely rare Specimen issue from the early days of British influence in Cyprus with knife-like crispness throughout the design and sparkling luster in the fields that results from significant die polish lines (as made). The color, mostly red, varies slightly on each side with the obverse showcasing bright orange-red at the edges with some faded burgundy-red in the centers and the reverse being more even pinkish-red with tiny dapples of purple tone. While trivial in appearance, a single instance of contact in the field to the left of the Victoria’s crown is the only post-strike flaw of note.