Cyprus 1882-H 1/2 piastre
This specimen was lot 30469 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $3,290. The catalog description[1] noted, "Victoria 1/2 Piastre 1882-H, MS64 Red Brown NGC. An attractive specimen in warm orange-brown; examples of this quality are quite scarce. Cyprus would not be formally annexed by the British Empire until 1914, when the Ottoman Empire allied themselves with the Central Powers." The SCWC lists this type for 1878-98 where it was struck in moderate numbers along with quarter piastres and one piastres, all in bronze. Cyprus, seized from the Turks by the British in 1878, was given a quasi-sterling coinage where nine piastres = one shilling.
Recorded mintage: 54,000 plus a few proofs.
Specification: bronze.
Catalog reference: KM 2.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Stuart Levine and Bruce Lorich, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3029, featuring Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part III, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
Link to: