10 Pounds 2001, Cyprus
| in Krause book | Number: 62c |
| Years of issue: | 01.02.2001 |
| Edition: | 15 000 000 |
| Signatures: | Director: Afxentis Afxentiou |
| Serie: | 1997 - 2001 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 01.10.1997 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 156 х 76 |
| Printer: | Francois-Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire SA, Colombes |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
The engraving for watermark is made after Aphrodite statue, I century BC (Marble). Held in Cyprus Museum, in Nicosia.
Aphrodite is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, beauty, pleasure, passion and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess Venus. Aphrodite's major symbols include myrtles, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans. The cult of Aphrodite was largely derived from that of the Phoenician goddess Astarte, a cognate of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar, whose cult was based on the Sumerian cult of Inanna. Aphrodite's main cult centers were Cythera, Cyprus, Corinth, and Athens. Her main festival was the Aphrodisia, which was celebrated annually in midsummer. In Laconia, Aphrodite was worshipped as a warrior goddess. She was also the patron goddess of prostitutes, an association which led early scholars to propose the concept of "sacred prostitution" in Greco-Roman culture, an idea which is now generally seen as erroneous.
Avers:
The marble head of Artemis found in Paphos dates from the Roman period (58 BC - 330 AD). Today it is in the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, in Nicosia (Κυπριακό Μουσείο).
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name, and indeed the goddess herself, was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals". The Arcadians believed she was the daughter of Demeter.
In the classical period of Greek mythology, Artemis (Ancient Greek: Ἄρτεμις) was often described as the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. She was the Hellenic goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and protector of young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women; she often was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows. The deer and the cypress were sacred to her. In later Hellenistic times, she even assumed the ancient role of Eileithyia in aiding childbirth. 
In top center is the coat of arms of Cyprus.
The coat of arms of the Republic of Cyprus depicts a dove carrying an olive branch (a well-known symbol of peace) over “1960”, the year of Cypriot independence from British rule. The background is a copper-yellow colour; this symbolizes the large deposits of copper ore on Cyprus (chiefly in the form of chalcopyrite, which is yellow in colour). The arms is not violating the rule of tincture, since the dove is not argent (silver) but blazoned as of the colour proper, i.e. it has the colour it would have in nature, in this case white.
The name of the bank in Greek and Turkish languages.
Lower is the island of Cyprus.
In lower left corner are the flowers Cyclamen cyprium (please read about them in Reverse description).
On the left side are three horizontal bars for visually impaired.
Denominations in numerals are in lower left and top right corners. Centered in words.
Revers:
On the foreground, lower, is the green sea turtle.
The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle, or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace.
Centered are the Cyprus warblers.
The Cyprus warbler (Sylvia melanothorax) is a typical warbler which breeds on Cyprus. This small passerine bird is a short-distance migrant, and winters in Israel, Jordan and Egypt.
Like most Sylvia species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male is a small typical warbler with a grey back, black head, white malar streaks ("moustaches"), and, uniquely among typical warblers, underparts heavily streaked with black. The female is mainly grey above, with a greyer head, and whitish with only light spotting. The Cyprus warbler's song is fast and rattling, and is similar to that of the Sardinian warbler.
Together with Rüppell's warbler it forms a superspecies with dark throats, white malar streaks and light remiges fringes. This in turn is related to the species of Mediterranean and Middle East Sylvia warblers that have a naked eye-ring, namely the subalpine warbler, Sardinian warbler and Menetries warbler. Both groups have a white malar area, but this may not form a clear streak in the latter group; above the white, the heads of males are uniformly dark.
This is a bird of dry open country, often on hill slopes, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or gorse, and 3-5 eggs are laid. Like most "warblers", it is insectivorous, but will also take berries.
On the background, more to the left side, is Cyprus mouflon.
The mouflon is the biggest animal of the Cyprus Fauna. Its former scientific name was Ovis orientalis orientalis. However, in recent years following long and in depth studies a new scientific name was given to it, Ovis gmelini ophion.
The Cyprus mouflon is a kind of wild sheep and is found only in Cyprus. Other kinds of mouflon can be found in various Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Syria, the island of Sardinia etc.
The mouflons are very shy and agile; they move very fast on the steep slopes of the Paphos forest and are very difficult to approach, especially when they are frightened. The mature male mouflon is a strong, well-built and beautiful animal. It has a thick and plentiful hide which in winter is of a light brown colour, with light grey on the back and an elongated black patch round the neck. In summer its hide becomes short and smooth, with a uniform brown colour and white underparts.
The male mouflons have heavy horns in the shape of a sickle. The length of the horns of the mature animals is between 55 and 60 centimeters. The weight of the male is around 35 kilos while the female weighs around 25 kilos. Its height is around one meter.
Its seasonal activity pattern is considerably variable. During summer, the animal is active in early morning and late afternoon, whereas in winter is active over the entire day.
During the summer, the mouflons live on the high mountains of the Paphos forest, like the Tripilos region. The Tripilos Mountains stand at 1.362 metres and overlook the Cedar valley. In winter, when the high peaks of the mountains are covered with snow, the mouflons come down to lower pastures in search of food. At times, when there is not enough food in the forest, the mouflons venture to move to the edge of the forest to search for food.
The same can happen during summer when available food is very scarce in the forest. During this season mouflon causes considerable damages to various agricultural crops.
In autumn, during the mating period, the mouflons form herds in groups of 10-20 male and female animals. In spring, however, when the delivery time is approaching, the herds are divided into small groups of two to three animals, or even one in the case of male mouflons which roam about alone.
The female mouflons give birth to either one or rarely two young ones in April or May. The newborns are very lively from the moment they are born so that they can face the many dangers that threaten them. (About Cyprus)
The butterfly Paphos Blue (Glaucopsyche paphos) is lower, on the right side.
Very common endemic species and the only member of this genus to be found in Cyprus. A univoltine species, but is on the wing from February to June in what appears to be a prolonged emergence. (The earliest record is 30 January by David Sparrow at a coastal location near Pafos, and I have seen the species on the wing at 1454 m. in the Troodos Mountains in mid-June.) Not illustrated in Tolman & Lewington, but G. paphos may be identified by its similarity with the Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis), a species not recorded in Cyprus, but with which it is often confused. (Cyprus Butterflies)
On the right side is Tulipa cypria.
Tulipa cypria, the Cyprus tulip is an erect perennial bulbous herb, 15-40 cm. high (in blossom), with glabrous, glaucous Leaves. The four leaves are alternate, simple, entire, fleshy, the two lower ones larger, laceolate, 10-20 x 2-6 cm., with conspicuously undulate margins, the two higher much smaller, nearly linear. One terminal showy flower, perianth cup shaped, of six free, petaloid segments, 2.5-9 x 1-3.5 cm., with dark blood-red colour, internally with a black blotch bordered by a yellow zone. It flowers March-April. The Fruit is a capsule.
The Cyprian tulip Grows in Juniperus phoenicea maquis, pastures and cereal fields, on limestone at 150-300 m. altitude. The plant is endemic to Cyprus, on Akamas, Kormakitis and some areas of the Pentadaktylos Range. It is very rare and strictly protected.
Between butterfly and the warbler are flowers Cyclamen cyprium.
The cyclamen wildflower, also known as cyclamen cyprium, is part of the endemic plants of Cyprus. In Cyprus, there are three kinds of cyclamen species, but only the aforementioned one is considered as endemic. An endemic plant occurs regionally in a single place and is only restricted in that particular area, establishing the plant as very important for the Cyprus flora due to its rareness.
The cyclamen plant flourishes in woodlands, under trees, through shrubs and rocky areas, on steep slopes as well as near steam banks.
The cyclamen cyprium blooms from September until January on an altitude ranging from 50-1100 meters with a height of 7 to 15 cm. The leaves of Cyprus cyclamen are described as variably patterned leaves of deep purple to reddish color on the lower surface of lamina.
Another important point which adds to its distinctive particularity, is the fact that the cyclamen has been designated as National Plant of Cyprus. It is one of the strictly protected plants of the island due to its rarity. Visitors can find this kind of cyclamen in most of the island areas, from Akamas penunsula until the Troodos and Pentadaktylos regions. (Heart Cyprus Blog)
Above the butterfly are flowers Allium neapolitanum.
Allium neapolitanum (Naples Garlic, Daffodil Garlic, False Garlic, Flowering Onion, Naples Onion, Guernsey Star-of-Bethlehem, Neapolitan Garlic, Star, White Garlic, Wood Garlic) is a perennial bulbous plant of the genus Allium, the onion family. It is native to the Mediterranean Region and the Mid-East from Spain to Pakistan. Within Europe, the plant has been reported from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus and the former Yugoslavia.
The species is naturalized in other areas, including Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, and in southern and western parts of the United States. It is classed as an invasive species in parts of the U.S., and is found primarily in the U.S. states of California, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. It has been called Nothoscordum inodorum.
Allium neapolitanum is cultivated by gardeners for its ornamental value. It produces round bulbs up to 2 cm across. Scape is up to 25 cm tall, round in cross-section but sometimes has wings toward the bottom. Inflorescence is an umbel of up to 25 white flowers with yellow anthers.
In the lower corners there are stylized rosettes from ancient frescoes in Cyprus, presumably - the sun. As an example, I put a photo with this pattern, from a fresco in Kourion, near Limassol, where I visited in October 2020.
On the basis of these frescoes, the emblem of the Cultural Foundation of the Bank of Cyprus was also made.
In 1986, Andy Ioannides designed the emblem for the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation. The emblem depicts an archiere or skylight. As the artist himself wrote in an explanatory note, when designing the emblem he took the following considerations into account:
"Through its emblem the Bank of Cyprus identifies itself with antiquity and the history of Cyprus, particularly its people (KOINON KYΠPIΩN - "Community of the Cypriots"). In the light of that and in the same spirit, the Cultural Foundation of the Bank of Cyprus uses an example of popular expression in art (depiction of part of a small skylight), contributing in this way to a holistic expression of the character of the island.
As is only natural the sun, the kernel of life, should find functional expression in popular art since, over and above its metaphoric importance, it is also a characteristic feature of the country".
The function of the skylight is directly related to the light that metaphorically expresses spiritual being. The very design of the archiere schematically describes the movement of the sun. The square, which is used to portray absolute stillness, surrounds a circle, which expresses perpetual motion. The two shapes (square and circle) are in harmony in their relationship to a common irradiating center.
If the emblem is used with the words "Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation", the empty external space itself between the figure and the letters denotes the notion of movement, which is proportionate to the internal movement of the design itself. (The Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation).
I think, there is something common with the emblem of National bank of Georgia. Zou can read about it here 1 Lari 2002
Denominations in numerals are in three corners. In words lower.
Comments:
Increased security.
The British introduced the pound sterling unit to Cyprus in 1879 at a rate of one to 180 Turkish piastres. It remained equal in value to the pound sterling until 1972 and was initially divided into 20 shillings (σελίνι / σελίνια, şilin). The shilling was divided into 9 piastres (γρόσι / γρόσια, kuruş), thus establishing a nomenclature link to the previous currency. The piastre was itself divided into 40 para (like the kuruş). The para denomination did not appear on any coins or banknotes but was used on postage stamps.
In 1955, Cyprus decimalized with 1000 mils (μιλς, mil) to the pound. Colloquially, the 5 mil coin was known as a "piastre" (not an exact equivalence) and the 50 mil coin as a "shilling" (an exact equivalence). The subdivision was changed to 100 cents (σεντ, sent) to the pound on 3 October 1983. At that time, the smallest coin still in circulation was that of 5 mils. This was renamed as ½ cent, but soon was abolished. Mil-denominated coins are no longer legal tender.
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
-
PayPal
-
For users of European Union banking system