Cyprus Queen Victoria 1/2 Piastre, Carmine

Cyprus · 1881 · 1/2 Piastre

This stamp features a left-facing profile portrait of Queen Victoria, the reigning British monarch at the time. The design is based on the British Penny Red and was overprinted with 'CYPRUS' in black capital letters. The denomination 'HALF PIASTRE' is inscribed at the bottom.

Issued in 1881, this was part of the second definitive series for Cyprus under British administration, which began in 1878. These stamps were British stamps overprinted for local use, reflecting the island's status as a British protectorate.