Cypriot euro coins


Cypriot euro coins feature three separate designs for the three series of coins. Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004, and is a member of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union. It has completed the third stage of the EMU and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2008.

Cypriot euro design

For images of the common side and a detailed description of the coins, see euro coins.

Circulating Mintage quantities

The following table shows the mintage quantity for all Cypriot euro coins, per denomination, per year.
Face Value€0,01€0,02€0,05€0,10€0,20€0,50€1,00€2,00
200840 000 000100 000 00060 000 00070 000 00065 000 00030 000 00028 000 00025 000 000
200920 000 0001 000 0006 000 0001 000 0001 000 0001 000 0004 000 0005 000 000
2010200 000200 000200 000200 000200 000200 000200 000200 000
201115 210 000210 00030 210 000210 000210 000210 000210 000210 000
2012210 000210 0001 000 0001 000 0001 000 0001 000 0001 000 0001 000 000
2013100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000
2014100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000
20157 100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000
20168 007 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000
2017100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000
201818 100 000100 00014 100 000100 000100 000100 000100 0007 100 000
201911 100 0009 100 0008 100 0005 600 0006 100 0001 400 000100 0001 400 000
20208 005 0008 405 0007 505 0001 705 0004 305 0001 505 000105 0003 305 000
20219 155 00012 605 0007 955 0004 445 0004 805 0001 925 0001 580 0003 005 000
20229 905 0009 755 0008 855 0004 805 0005 165 0001 925 0001 730 0003 755 000
2023595 000795 000595 000245 000245 000100 000100 000463 000
2024100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000100 000

Mints

2008-2020: Finland

2010-2018: Greece

Identifying marks

National Identifier"ΚΥΠΡΟΣ and KIBRIS"
Mint Mark-
Engravers Initials-
€2 Edge inscription

Design selection process

The official public contest for the design of the Cypriot euro coins, which ended on 14 October 2005, defined what the required motifs of the respective coins should encompass:
  • 1 cent, 2 cent and 5 cent: The mouflon, the most characteristic species of fauna in Cyprus, representing the island's nature and wildlife.
  • 10 cent, 20 cent and 50 cent: The ancient Greek Kyrenia ship of 4th Century B.C., representing Cyprus's history and its character as an island as well as its importance in trade.
  • €1 and €2: The Idol of Pomos, a cross-shaped idol dating back to the Cypriot chalcolithic period, found in Pomos, a village in the district of Paphos. It is a characteristic example of prehistoric art in Cyprus, representing the island's antiquity, culture and civilization.
American artist Erik Maell and Greek artist Tatiana Soteropoulos were chosen by the Central Bank of Cyprus to create and illustrate the designs to be used for the final coins.
The artists were instructed to include the name of Cyprus in Greek and Turkish, that is, ΚΥΠΡΟΣ and KIBRIS in the design for the coins.

Euro adoption

On 11 October 2006, the final designs of the Cypriot euro coins were presented at the exhibition "Από τη Λίρα στο Ευρώ" of the Central Bank of Cyprus about the history of currency in Cyprus. They do not appear to include "Cyprus" in English, as demanded by the revised competition rules, but instead only in the state's two official languages, Greek and Turkish.
On 13 February 2007, the Republic of Cyprus formally applied to join the eurozone on 1 January 2008. The final decision was expected to be taken in Brussels on 21–22 June at an EU Summit to be ratified by all EU heads of state.
On 9 March 2007, the campaign to inform the citizens of Cyprus about the euro officially began in Cypriot media.
On 15 March 2007, the House of Representatives passed the necessary laws for the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2008.
On 16 May 2007, the Commissioner for Economic & Financial Affairs of the EU, Joaquín Almunia, recommended that Cyprus adopt the euro as scheduled.
On 20 June 2007, the European Parliament voted affirmatively on this issue and on 21 June 2007, the date was confirmed by the EU leaders.
On 10 July 2007, the EU Finance Ministers set the permanent exchange rate to CYP 0.585274 to 1 euro.
On 23 October 2007, the designs were officially published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
On 1 January 2008, the euro replaced the Cypriot pound as the official currency.

Other commemorative coins (Collectors' coins)

Although Cyprus joined the Eurozone in 2008, they already had one high value commemorative coin, minted in silver. This coin was minted as a legacy of an old national practice of minting gold and silver coins. This coin is not really intended to be used as means of payment, so generally they do not circulate.