CYPRUS (British)  (till 1955) - Cypriot pound [CYP]

1 pound = 20 shillings = 180 piastres

Shortly after the lease of Cyprus from Turkey in 1879, the United Kingdom introduced on the island a Cypriot pound [CYP] equal to pound sterling [GBP]. This relationship continued until the end of British rule in Cyprus in 1960 and unofficially even until 1971. The first coins were issued by the order of Queen Victoria of September 17, 1900. One Cypriot pound was subdivided into 20 shillings, just like in the UK. However, the Cypriot shilling contained nine piastres, while the British 12 pence. One Cypriot piastre was subdivided into 40 para, which did not circulate in form of coins or banknotes, but it was handy on postage stamps. During this period of Cypriot minting history the ruler of the United Kingdom was king George VI, whose profile and titles are therefore on obverses of Cypriot pound coins.

Please note that currently we are presenting only those types of circulation coins of Cyprus, which were minted after 1944.