5 pounds 1974 specimen

Common. While specimen notes command a premium over circulated examples, the 1974 £5 Cyprus (Pick-44) shows consistent availability in secondary markets with eBay transaction history demonstrating regular sales at $20-80 for circulated grades and catalog values of $350 UNC. The specimen variant (Pick-44cs) represents institutional production runs rather than limited-edition releases. No evidence of scarcity or special rarity for this specific type exists in available market data.

Issued on June 1, 1974 by the Central Bank of Cyprus during a tumultuous period in the nation's history, this £5 note reflects the republic's commitment to national symbols through its prominent depiction of the dove (peace symbol) and olive branch within the coat of arms. The trilingual inscriptions in Greek, Turkish, and English demonstrate Cyprus's multi-community character during the post-independence era, though this particular date falls just weeks after the July 1974 Turkish invasion that would fundamentally alter the island's political landscape. The ornamental design style, emphasizing traditional Cypriot embroidery patterns on the reverse, showcases the cultural heritage the Central Bank sought to preserve through its currency design.

The obverse features the coat of arms of the Republic of Cyprus—a white dove clutching an olive branch, symbolizing peace and sovereignty—positioned prominently on the right side. This is complemented by an ornate mandala-like circular pattern on the left and geometric decorative elements throughout the center field. The reverse displays an elegant representation of traditional Cypriot embroidery (known as 'lefkaritika'), with stylized flowers, berries, leaves, and botanical branches rendered in fine blue linework across a cream background. A geometric diamond pattern appears in the upper left of the reverse. The blank circular space on the obverse where a portrait would normally appear is characteristic of this specimen issue, reserved for the watermark area. The overall aesthetic emphasizes Cyprus's cultural identity through national heraldry and folk art motifs rather than historical figures.

FRONT: 'ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΠΡΟΥ' (Central Bank of Cyprus in Greek) / 'KIBRIS MERKEZ BANKASI' (Central Bank of Cyprus in Turkish) / 'SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE' (English overprint) / 'ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ ΚΑΤΕΡΑΝΗ' (Governor's signature - Christos Kateranis) / 'ΔΙΕ.ΤΗΣ-MUNUR' (Director's signature) / 'Ν 0000000' (Specimen serial number - zeros) / '1.6.1974' (Issue date - June 1, 1974) / '124' (Printer's code). BACK: 'Central Bank of Cyprus' (English header) / 'Five Pounds' (English denomination text).

Intaglio printing (bank note quality engraved plates) by BWC (Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company), a premier British currency printer, without imprint mark on the note. The complex guilloche patterns, micro-pattern texturing, intricate line work throughout the ornamental designs, and the fine detail preservation evident in both the floral embroidery rendering and security patterns confirm professional security printing standards. The multi-color printing (light blue, pink, gray on obverse; blue on cream reverse) demonstrates sophisticated plate registration typical of 1970s-era currency production.

This note is classified as Pick-44cs (specimen with 'SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE' overprint). The visual analysis confirms the 1.6.1974 (June 1, 1974) date variant within the 1966-1976 series. The printer is identified as BWC (Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company) without imprint. The specimen designation with zero serial number (Ν 0000000) and official 'SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE' text confirms this as an institutional specimen example. Governor signature reads ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣ ΚΑΤΕΡΑΝΗ (Christos Kateranis). PMG records indicate four cataloged variants for base Pick-44 (P-44a, P-44b, P-44cts, P-44s), with this example representing the 'cs' (specimen) variant.