Cyprus ½ cent 1983 - Cyprus Cyclamen

The coin's story

In 1983, Cyprus abandoned the mils: the Cyprus pound was now divided into 100 cents, and a new series of coins was put into circulation. The ½ cent coin, the lowest value of the series, is struck in aluminium, in the shape of a dodecagon. Its reverse shows the value surrounded by Cyprus cyclamens (Cyclamen cyprium), the national flower of the island. The obverse shows the arms of the Republic, a dove holding an olive branch with the year of independence 1960, and the name of the country in English, Greek and Turkish. The Royal Mint struck 10,000,000 pieces, plus 6,250 proofs. Unlike the other values, the ½ cent coin was struck only in 1983.