Summary

1/4 Piastre, Issued by, Cyprus, 1879
Minted by Royal Mint, London
Other Details: Exhibited 1880 Melbourne Exhibition by Melbourne Mint

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 center within beaded circle, 1/4 around, . CYPRUS . QUARTER 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.

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