Summary
Proof 1 Piastre, Issued by, Cyprus, 1879
Minted by Royal Mint, London
Other Details: Exhibited at 1880 Melbourne Exhibition
Obverse Description
Head of Queen Victoria facing left wearing coronet which is ornamented with oak leaves and acorns; around, VICTORIA QUEEN 1879
Reverse Description
At centre within a circle of dots, 1; around, . CYPRUS . ONE PIASTRE
Edge Description
Plain
Significance
Government of Cyprus was ceded by the Ottoman Empire to Britain by the Anglo-Turkish Convention of 4 June 1878 by which Türkiye received an annual payment equal to what it would have received in taxation. The coinage of the island was based on the Turkish copper piastre and the British elected to continue this system, introducing bronze coins of 1 piastre , 1/2 piastre and 1/4 piarstre in 1879. All coins featured a head of Queen Victoria.
This proof (not bronzed) is from the collection formed at the Melbourne Mint and is believed to have been part of their display at the Melbourne International Exhibition 1880-1881. It was transferred to Museum Victoria ( then the Science Museum of Victoria) in 1978.
More Information
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from Melbourne Branch of Royal Mint, 1978
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Date Issued
1879 AD
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Issued By
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Mint
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Artist
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Place & Date Exhibited
Royal Exhibition Building (REB), Melbourne, Australia, 1880 - 1881
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Exhibitor
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Denomination
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Series
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Material
Bronze
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Axis
12
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Dimensions
32 mm (Outside Diameter), 11.575 g (Weight)
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Shape
Round
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References
Pridmore 23A KM#3.1
[Book] Pridmore, Fred. 1960. The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations Part 1, European Territories.
[Book] Bruce, Colin R. 2006. Standard Catalogue of World Coins 1801 - 1900.
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Keywords
British Empire Coins, Exhibitions: Melbourne International, 1880-1881, British Commonwealth and Empire Coins
