Owner Comments:
CYPRUS, QUEEN VICTORIA 1/4 PIASTRE 1885.
OBVERSE: Young head of Victoria wearing a coronet ornamented with oak and scrolls.
REVERSE: 1/4 within a beaded circle.
ENGRAVER: Leonard Charles Wyon.
DIAMETER: 21.8 mm
WEIGHT: 2.91 g
EDGE: Milled.
METAL COMPOSITION: Copper 95%, Tin 4%, Zinc 1%.
MINTAGE: 36,000
RARITY: The 1885 1/4 is the rarest entry in the incredibly difficult Cyprus 1/4 piastre series. It is an elusive coin in any grade. Even circulated examples are elusive with most grades not better than VF or thereabouts.
Key date of Queen Victoria's 1/4 piastre collection.
1885 1/4 PIASTRE MS 65 RB
Extraordinary GEM example of superb quality. It features a full sharp strike on perfect surfaces and lovely chocolate brown even color with original red in and around the devices.
NGC: The finer of the two existing examples in Mint State by two grade points.