🔎 About the 1944 Cyprus 1 Piastre Coin

The 1 piastre was part of the Cypriot monetary system during British colonial administration, which lasted from 1878 until 1960. The 1944 issue bears the likeness of King George VI, monarch of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, symbolizing Cyprus’s place in the British Empire during a critical moment in global history.

Specifications:

• Material: Bronze

• Weight: 3.3 grams

• Diameter: ~20 mm

• Shape: 12-sided (dodecagonal)

• Obverse: Crowned portrait of King George VI

• Reverse: "CYPRUS • ONE PIASTRE • 1944" with denomination in center

• Mint: Royal Mint (UK)

🕰 Historical Context

The coin was minted in 1944, just as World War II was beginning to turn in the Allies’ favor. Cyprus, while not a frontline battleground, was of strategic importance to the British due to its location in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Coins like this one circulated widely among both locals and stationed troops. It represents a period where colonial administration was deeply entwined with the logistics and pressures of global warfare.

💡 Collecting Insights

• Distinctive Shape: The 12-sided design was both anti-counterfeit and a tactile innovation — uncommon for its time.

• Wartime Rarity: Though not rare in absolute numbers, coins from this era often show wartime wear, adding character.

• Transitional Symbol: Represents the final decades of British rule in Cyprus before its eventual independence in 1960.

This 1 piastre coin carries a quiet dignity — a bronze witness to a war-torn world and an island's colonial chapter. From a British mint to Cypriot streets, and now to your collection, it endures as a historical token of empire, resilience, and change.