Cypriot banknotes 250 Mils banknote of 1981.

Cypriot banknotes 250 Mils bank note

Cypriot banknotes 250 Mil note

Cypriot banknotes 250 Mils banknote of 1981.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Older version of the Coat of Arms of Cyprus at right., Cyprus map outline at lower right.
Reverse: Limestone quarry, Cyprus.

Cypriot pound = 1000 Miles, from 1955 to 1983.

Banknotes of Cyprus 500 Mils banknote of 1979.

 Cyprus banknotes 500 Mils bank note 

Cyprus 500 Mils banknote

Banknotes of Cyprus 500 Mils banknote of 1979.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Opus sectile - Older version of the Coat of Arms of Cyprus at right., Cyprus map outline at lower right.
Reverse: The Pentadaktylos mountain along the Northern coast of Cyprus.

Cypriot pound = 1000 Miles, from 1955 to 1983.

The mill or mille (₥) (sometimes mil in the UK, when discussing property taxes in the United States, or previously in Cyprus and Malta) is a now-abstract unit of currency used sometimes in accounting. In the United States, it is a notional unit equivalent to 1⁄1000 of a United States dollar (a tenth of a cent). In the United Kingdom it was proposed during the decades of discussion on the decimalization of the pound as a 1⁄1000 division of the pound sterling. Several other currencies used the mill, such as the Maltese lira.
The term comes from the Latin "millesimum", meaning "thousandth part".

The Pentadaktylos (Greek: Πενταδάκτυλος; Turkish: Beşparmak Dağları) is a mountain mass which makes up the western half of the Kyrenia Mountains, a long, narrow chain which runs 160 km (100 mi) along the Northern coast of Cyprus. Both the Greek name (Pentadactylos, also rendered as Pendathaktilos) and the Turkish name (Beşparmaklar) for these mountains come from the five finger-like projections of a mountain near Kyrenia. The names are also sometimes used synonymously with Kyrenia to refer to the entire range.
These mountains have many historical castles and monasteries including the St. Hilarion Castle.

World banknotes Cyprus one Cypriot Pound banknote of 1961.

Cypriot banknotes - 1 Cyprus pound banknote

Cyprus banknotes - Cyprus paper money

World bank notes Cyprus one Cypriot Pound banknote of 1961.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Opus sectile - Older version of the Coat of Arms of Cyprus at right., Cyprus map outline at lower right.
Reverse: Roman aqueduct near Larnaca and Roman pillars at Salamis ruins, Famagusta, North Cyprus.

Cypriot pound = 1000 Miles, from 1955 to 1983.

Kamares, the old aqueduct of Larnaka
At the exit from Larnaca towards the Limassol highway you see the grandiose arches (kamares) of the 16 kilometers long, 18th century aqueduct of Larnaca.

For the adventurer the old aqueduct of Larnaca offers a tremendous challenge. Walking in a straight line from the 1st arches (about 2-3 kilometers), you arrive at the 2nd arches, and after a walk of almost the same distance, (but having to pass the airport “bypass highway”) you arrive at the 3rd and lower arches. At this point you have to look for the old mill, which pumped the aqueduct’s water.

Then, for almost 9 kilometers up to the river, the water - channel goes underground, but every 30 meters you can see the “visiting wells” of this unbelievable project, which channeled the water of the river Tremithos to Larnaca till the 1950’s.

Many researchers and historians believe that this tremendous public work has existed since Roman times, (as it’s mentioned in the acts Secret of Apostle Barnabas) and that the Ottoman Governor Bekir Pashia reconstructed the whole project in 1745 on the basis of the surviving facilities. This argument is supported by the fact that a similar water channel exists in the archaeological site of the ancient port at Kilkis Street and at many other spots in the city dated in Hellenistic and Roman times.

Currency of Cyprus Ten Cypriot Pounds Lira banknote of 1987.

Cyprus CY£ 10 pounds banknote

Central Bank of Cyprus - Ten pounds bank note

Currency of Cyprus Ten Cypriot Pounds Lira  banknote of 1987, issued by the Central Bank of Cyprus - Kentriki Trapeza tis Kyproy - Kıbrıs Merkez Bankası.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Cypriot limestone head of a Greek athlete wearing the victor’s headband.; Coat of arms of Cyprus at upper right.
Reverse: A composition depicting Cyprus warblers.

Cyprus banknotes 1 Cypriot pound banknote of 1994, Nymph Acme.

Cypriot pound

 Central Bank of Cyprus - Cypriot pound Lira banknote 

Cyprus bank notes one Cypriot pound Lira banknote of 1994, issued by the Central Bank of Cyprus - Kentriki Trapeza tis Kyproy - Kıbrıs Merkez Bankası. Mia Lira - Bir Lira - One Pound.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Mosaic of Nymph Acme - Detail from a mosaic pavement in the House of Dionysus, dating from the third century BC; Cyprus map outline.
Reverse: Bellapais Abbey, an early XIIIth century ruined monastery near Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus. Watermark: Mouflon's head.
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, London England.

Near the Paphos harbor are the excellently preserved mosaic pavements of the Villa of Dionysos, among the finest in the Mediterranean area.
The mosaics, which mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology, were accidentally discovered by a farmer plowing his field.
The House of Dionysus, was a private house, probably belonging to a very wealthy citizen. It was given the name because of the frequent appearance of the god on the mosaic floors and dates to the latter half of the second century.
Turning clockwise along the outer platforms are mosaics showing the figure of a man, various patterns of shapes and a depiction of a peacock. At the back of the house is one of the best-known mosaics, depicting a Ganymede being taken back to Olympus by an eagle. They are very well preserved, especially the natural colors of the limestone. In the inner series, in the Atrium, there are four panels, mainly depicting hunting scenes.
In the first is a picture of Pyramus and Thisbe, the second Dionysos and Ikarios, the third Poseidon and Amymone and in the fourth Apollo and Daphne.
The most famous mosaic is that of the triumph of Dionysos with the God in a chariot drawn by leopards. Behind him are a gathering of followers engaged in various revelries.
The remaining mosaics show numerous hunting scenes depicting a wide range of animals, including tigers.

Bellapais Abbey, or "The Abbey of Peace" (from French: Abbaye de la Belle Paix), is the ruin of a monastery built by Canons Regular in the 13th century on the northern side of the small village of Bellapais, now in Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus, about five kilometers from the town of Kyrenia. The ruin is at an altitude of 220m above sea level, and commands a long view down to Kyrenia and the Mediterranean sea. The site is also a museum, which hosts a restaurant and a cafe.
Opening hours in the summer are 9am to 7pm; the winter hours are 9am to 1 pm and 2pm to 4:45pm. There is a small admission charge. The Abbey's refectory now serves as a venue for concerts and lectures. In early summer it is also a venue for a local music festival.

Cyprus banknotes CY£ 5 Cypriot pounds banknote of 1990.

Cyprus banknotes CY£ 5 pounds note

Pre-Euro European Currency

Cyprus banknotesCY£ 5 Cypriot pounds banknote of 1990, issued by the Central Bank of Cyprus - Kentriki Trapeza tis Kyproy - Kıbrıs Merkez Bankası.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Limestone head of woman from the Hellenistic period, Arsos (early third century BC).; Cyprus map outline.
Reverse: Roman amphitheatre situated in the ruins of the ancient city of Salamis, Famagusta area, North Cyprus.

Salamis (Ancient Greek: Σαλαμίς) is an ancient Greek city-state on the east coast of Cyprus, at the mouth of the river Pedieos, 6 km north of modern Famagusta. According to tradition the founder of Salamis was Teucer, son of Telamon, who could not return home after the Trojan war because he had failed to avenge his brother Ajax.

Cyprus currency 20 Cypriot pounds banknote of 1992, Aphrodite.

Cyprus CY£ 20 pounds banknote

Central Bank of Cyprus - Twenty pounds banknote 

Cyprus currency 20 Cypriot pounds banknote of 1992, issued by the Central Bank of Cyprus - Kentriki Trapeza tis Kyproy - Kıbrıs Merkez Bankası.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Upper part of a sculpture of goddess Aphrodite, found in the ancient city of Soli, 1th century BC.; Cyprus map outline.
Reverse: Phoenician sailboat at Kyrenia (4th century BC) and the birthplace of Aphrodite (Petra tou Romiou).
Watermark: Bust of goddess Aphrodite.
Dimensions: 164 x 80 mm.

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. Her Roman equivalent is the goddess Venus.
As with many ancient Greek deities, there is more than one story about her origins. According to Hesiod's Theogony, she was born when Cronus cut off Uranus's genitals and threw them into the sea, and she arose from the sea foam (aphros). According to Homer's Iliad, she is the daughter of Zeus and Dione. According to Plato (Symposium 180e), the two were entirely separate entities: Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos.
Because of her beauty, other gods feared that their rivalry over her would interrupt the peace among them and lead to war, so Zeus married her to Hephaestus, who, because of his ugliness and deformity, was not seen as a threat. Aphrodite had many lovers—both gods, such as Ares, and men, such as Anchises. She played a role in the Eros and Psyche legend, and later was both Adonis's lover and his surrogate mother. Many lesser beings were said to be children of Aphrodite.
Aphrodite is also known as Cytherea (Lady of Cythera) and Cypris (Lady of Cyprus) after the two cult sites, Cythera and Cyprus, which claimed to be her place of birth. Myrtle, doves, sparrows, horses, and swans were said to be sacred to her. The ancient Greeks identified her with the Ancient Egyptian goddess Hathor.
Aphrodite had many other names, such as Acidalia, Cytherea and Cerigo, each used by a different local cult of the goddess in Greece. The Greeks recognized all of these names as referring to the single goddess Aphrodite, despite the slight differences in what these local cults believed the goddess demanded of them. The Attic philosophers of the 4th century, however, drew a distinction between a celestial Aphrodite (Aprodite Urania) of transcendent principles, and a separate, "common" Aphrodite who was the goddess of the people (Aphrodite Pandemos).

Petra tou Romiou (Rock of the Greek), also known as Aphrodite's Rock, is a sea stack in Pafos, Cyprus. The combination of the beauty of the area and its status in mythology as the birthplace of Aphrodite makes it a popular tourist location.
The sea in this region is generally rough, persuading tourists not to swim there. It is not permitted to climb the rock. A restaurant, a tourist pavilion and the Aphrodite Hills resort are nearby.

According to one legend, this rock is the site of the birth of the goddess Aphrodite, perhaps owing to the foaming waters around the rock fragments, and for this reason it is known as Aphrodite's Rock. Gaia (Mother Earth) asked one of her sons, Cronus, to mutilate his father, Uranus (Sky). Cronus cut off Uranus' testicles and threw them into the sea. A white foam appeared from which a maiden arose, the waves first taking her to Kythera and then bringing her to Cyprus. The maiden, named Aphrodite, went to the assembly of gods from Cyprus. The Romans widely referred to her as Venus. Aphrodite attracted a large cult following in Pafos, which was eventually crushed by the Romans. This is evident from the Sanctuary of Aphrodite in Old Pafos kouklia. A local myth is that any person who swims around the Aphrodite Rock will be blessed with eternal beauty.
Another legend associates the name Achni with the nearby beach, and attributes this to it being a site where the Achaeans came ashore on their return from Troy.
The present name Petra tou Romiou (Rock of the Greek) associates the place with the exploits of the hero Basil as told in the Digenes Akritas. Basil was half-Greek (Romios) and half-Arabic, hence the name Digenes (two-blood). Legend tells that Basil hurled the huge rock from the Troodos Mountains to keep off the invading Saracens. A nearby rock is similarly known as the Saracen Rock.

Soli or Soloi (Greek: Σόλοι) is an ancient Greek city in the island of Cyprus, located south-west of Morphou and on the coast in the gulf of Morphou and dates back to about the 6th century BC. Since 1974 the city has lain in the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Originally, Soloi was located, in a much constricted geographical location. At its current location, the whole urban center was designed by Solon, after whom the name is, during his 10 year trip. Soloi was one of the ten city-kingdoms into which Cyprus was divided at the time.
What remains today is mainly from the Roman period, most notably the mosaic floor of the basilica with its wealth of birds, animals and geometric designs and a picture of a swan. There is a theatre but it has been restored so much that it no longer has any atmosphere of its original age.

Cyprus money 10 Cypriot pounds banknote of 1998, Artemis.

Cyprus CY£ 10 pounds bank note

Central Bank of Cyprus - Ten pounds note

Cyprus money 10 Cypriot pounds banknote of 1998, issued by the Central Bank of Cyprus - Kentriki Trapeza tis Kyproy - Kıbrıs Merkez Bankası.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Marble head of Goddess Artemis found in Paphos and dated from the Roman period;
Cyprus map outline.
Reverse: A composition depicting birds Cyprus warbler, Cyprus mouflon, a green turtle, a tulips and a cyclamens, Paphos Blue Butterly (glaucopsyche paphos).
Watermark: Bust of goddess Aphrodite.
Dimensions: 156 x 76 mm.

Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name, and indeed the goddess herself, was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals". The Arcadians believed she was the daughter of Demeter.
In the classical period of Greek mythology, Artemis (Ancient Greek: Ἄρτεμις) was often described as the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. She was the Hellenic goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and protector of young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women; she often was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows. The deer and the cypress were sacred to her. In later Hellenistic times, she even assumed the ancient role of Eileithyia in aiding childbirth.

Cyprus banknotes Five Pounds banknote of 1955, Queen Elizabeth II.

 Cyprus banknotes 5 pound note of 1955, Queen Elizabeth II.

Currency of Cyprus 5 pound banknote of 1955, issued by the Government of Cyprus.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Photographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken by Dorothy Wilding 26 February 1952.
Reverse: The numeral value of the note and Cyprus colonial two lion badge.
Engraved and printed by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company.

Cyprus Monetary System

1 Shilling = 9 Piastres, 1 Pound = 20 Shillings (to 1963)
1 Shilling = 50 Mils, 1 Pound = 1000 Mils (to 1983)
1 Pound = 100 Cents

Cyprus banknotes One Pound banknote of 1955, Queen Elizabeth II.

Cypriot pound

Cyprus money

Currency of Cyprus one pound banknote of 1955, issued by the Government of Cyprus.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Photographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken by Dorothy Wilding 26 February 1952. The Queen is wearing the George IV State Diadem, created for the coronation of George IV in 1820. Designed with symbols of the rose, thistle and shamrock, the Diadem contains 1,333 diamonds. Queen Elizabeth often wears the Diadem on state occasions. The necklace worn by The Queen, of diamond flowers and leaves, was a wedding present from Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar.
Reverse: The numeral value of the note and Cyprus colonial two lion badge.
Engraved and printed by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company.

Cyprus colonial two lion badge - In 1905, the two lion badge was approved by King Edward VII. It was derived from the design of the shield of Richard I (Cœur de Lion) who conquered Cyprus in 1191, after being shipwrecked on the island, while on his way to join the Third Crusade.

Cypriot pound
The pound, also known as the lira (Greek: λίρα / plural λίρες and Turkish: lira, from the Latin libra through the Italian lira), was the currency of Cyprus, including the Sovereign Base Areas in Akrotiri and Dhekelia, until 31 December 2007, when the Republic of Cyprus (and Malta) adopted the euro. However, the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus used and still uses on the official level the Turkish lira.
The Cyprus pound was replaced by the euro as official currency of the Republic of Cyprus on 1 January 2008 at the irrevocable fixed exchange rate of CYP 0.585274 per EUR 1.00.

The British introduced the pound sterling unit to Cyprus in 1879 at a rate of one to 180 Turkish piastres. It remained equal in value to the pound sterling until 1972 and was initially divided into 20 shillings (σελίνι / σελίνια, şilin). The shilling was divided into 9 piastres (γρόσι / γρόσια, kuruş), thus establishing a nomenclature link to the previous currency. The piastre was itself divided into 40 para (like the kuruş). The para denomination did not appear on any coins or banknotes but was used on postage stamps.
In 1955, Cyprus decimalized with 1000 mils (μιλς, mil) to the pound. Colloquially, the 5 mil coin was known as a "piastre" (not an exact equivalence) and the 50 mil coin as a "shilling" (an exact equivalence). The subdivision was changed to 100 cents (σεντ, sent) to the pound on 3 October 1983. At that time, the smallest coin still in circulation was that of 5 mils. This was renamed as ½ cent, but soon was abolished. Mil-denominated coins are no longer legal tender.
Towards the end of the Cypriot pound era some cashiers omitted the 1 and 2 cent coins from the change they gave. Owner operated businesses often rounded down the net amount to be paid to the nearest multiple of 5 cents.

The Cyprus national currency was replaced by the euro on 1 January 2008. The currency entered the Exchange Rate Mechanism II on 2 May 2005 and it was limited within the band of CYP 0.585274 ±15% per euro. A formal application to adopt the euro was submitted on 13 February 2007. On May 16, 2007 Cyprus (along with Malta) won the European Commission's approval for this and was confirmed by the European Parliament on 20 June 2007 and the EU leaders on 21 June 2007. The permanent exchange rate, EUR 1.00 = CYP 0.585274, was decided by the EU Finance Ministers on 10 July 2007. From 12 July 2007 to 5 December 2007, the exchange rate remained at 0.5842. Since 7 December 2007, the rate has been fixed at the irrevocable rate, € = £0.585274.
In Summer 2006, the Bank of Cyprus started including on its statements the indicative balance in euros. The Cyprus Telecommunications Authority followed suit with its bills two months later. A small number of shops also showed indicative euro totals on their receipts. By late Autumn 2006, the number of banks and shops offering indicative euro equivalents on their statements and pricing had increased significantly.

In 1914, the government issued emergency notes in denominations of 10 shillings, and 1 and 5 pounds. Regular type notes were issued from 1917 and on. Notes for 5 and 10 shillings, and 1 and 10 pounds were introduced that year, followed by 1 and 2 shillings in 1920 and 5 pounds in 1926. Denominations below 10 shillings were not issued after 1920 but were reintroduced in 1939, with 3 piastres issued between 1943 and 1944. The 1 and 2 shilling notes were replaced by new coins in 1947.
In 1955, the 5 and 10 shilling notes were replaced by 250 and 500 mil notes. The Central Bank of Cyprus was established in 1963 as an autonomous institution in accordance with the Central Bank of Cyprus Law 1963 and the relevant articles of the constitution.[6] It began issuing paper money in 1964, and introduced 10-pound notes in 1977. Notes for 250 mils ceased production in 1982, shortly before the cent was introduced.
Decimal - cents
On 3 October 1983, 50 cent notes replaced the 500 mil notes, with 20 pound notes added in 1992.

Cyprus banknotes 500 Mils banknote of 1957, Queen Elizabeth II.

Cyprus 500 Mils banknote, Queen Elizabeth II

Currency of Cyprus 500 Mils banknote of 1957, issued by the Government of Cyprus.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Photographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken by Dorothy Wilding 26 February 1952. Reverse: The numeral value of the note and Cyprus colonial two lion badge.
Engraved and printed by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company.

Cyprus banknotes 250 Mils banknote of 1956, Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II on banknotes

Currency of Cyprus 250 Mils banknote of 1956, issued by the Government of Cyprus.
Cypriot banknotes, Cypriot paper money, Cypriot bank notes, Cyprus banknotes, Cyprus paper money, Cyprus bank notes.

Obverse: Photographic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken by Dorothy Wilding 26 February 1952. Reverse: The numeral value of the note and Cyprus colonial two lion badge.
Engraved and printed by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company.