500 mils CYPRUS (1976) Refugees

above the centre stylised Cypriot Coat of Arms; lower in three lines: ΚΥΠΡΟΣ / KIBRIS / CYPRUS (name of the country in Greek, Turkish and English) and year of issue: 1976

a woman with a child facing right; in the background ruins of a house; on the right face value: 500 (mils); below in three lines: ΘΕΡΟΣ / SUMMER / 1974 (summer 1974 in Greek and English)

plain

1976

1 III 1984

???  no data

The Royal Mint, Llantrisant, United Kingdom

1976

25 000

The year 1974 in Cyprus was a year of revolts, riots, coups and the arena of Greco-Turkish war for the power over the island. In summer 1974 the Turks took over by force 1/3 of Cyprus, where later, in 1983, independent Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was proclaimed. The division of the island has become a fact. The United Nations soldiers guard the safety along the border until today. It is estimated that around 250 thousand island residents became refugees and left their homes to move to the "correct" part of Cyprus.