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5 Shillings
| Issuer | Government of Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1950 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The entire reverse is composed of an intricate, densely worked guilloche pattern in pink, blue, and green, forming an elaborate oval medallion at centre. A rectangular cartouche with the legend GOVERNMENT OF CYPRUS in white letters on a blue ground is set horizontally at the centre of the medallion, framed by fine lathe-work spirals extending to all corners of the note. |
| Reverse lettering | Government of Cyprus |
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| Comments |
Cyprus had no central bank until 1963, and for much of the colonial period the Currency Commissioner issued notes directly under Colonial Office authority. This 5 Shillings note — part of a series that ran through the final decade before Cypriot independence became a serious political question — was produced by Bradbury Wilkinson, the New Malden firm responsible for a substantial portion of British colonial currency output during this period.
The long issue window, 1939 to 1950, spans the Second World War, during which Cyprus served as a staging point for Allied operations in the Eastern Mediterranean. Notes from the early war dates tend to show heavier circulation wear than later printings.