Cyprus-Forum.com

[RichardB]

What is piastres? I know bakkires is that the same?

Yes I think that was village speak

another term i heard used was 'Grossi?' Think that one may have been Turkish...not too sure

[Sotos]

I think grossi = bakkira. We never said piastres that must be just the English word for it. I have a small box with old coins at my parents house. I wonder if its still there!

[RichardB]

Looks like you're right sotos grosia = bakkeira= piastre

[Sotos]

I thought they were only coins Whats the Arabic letters for?

[RichardB]

Sotos just done a quick bit of research and apparantly until the 1930s Turkey used arabic script on its banknotes.

I can only think it must be something to do with this

[devil]

Sorry, I was wrong, but by only 1 year. I remember when it happened.

In 1878 Cyprus was transferred to the British rule, which introduced their new numismatic system based on the piastre (copper) and later on 1901 on the shilling (silver). In 1955 the British withdrawed all the previous coins, introducing the Cyprus pound (1000 mils). For the first time in Cypriot history they typed money on paper (banknotes).

[RichardB]

Again I cede to your greater knowledge on the dates devil

However your quote gives the impression that this was the first time (1955) that banknotes were printed on paper

As you can see the example I have given is a banknote from 1943 and I know that paper money was issued before this date

[devil]

I agree the wording of the quote is atrocious.