Title: The postmarks of Cyprus 1971
Description: Description

Two separate events were responsible for the production of this book. The first was my awareness of the increasing interest in Cyprus and its postal administration and secondly was the desire to fulfil a lifelong ambition. I sincerely hope that this volume will be of assistance to any person interested in Cyprus philately and to those who may be contemplating the worthwhile study of this fascinating country. I have attempted to show the postmarks in use as at December 1971. I consider it imprudent to list postmarks that are now unobtainable except by purchasing such; this only leads to frustration. In consequence I have produced a list which to the best of my knowledge is complete and any person, anywhere, can with a little effort, complete a collection of the postmarks of Cyprus. I completed just such a collection in about 5 months. Under the section entitled “Useful Information” I have included copies of the leaflets in Greek and Turkish which I used to obtain cancellations whilst researching for this book. I have also included a list of villages which do not have a regular mail service; these villages are inhabited by Turkish Cypriots who do not allow the mail contractor to collect or deliver the mail. Even now the rural postmarks are being replaced by dated handstamps and one presumes that eventually the changeover will be completed. This changeover does produce some complications for agents who cannot read or write; and to illustrate the point I have in my collection a fine strike in red from Ayios IOANNIS (Paphos) which is dated the 44 Nov. 81.

– M. A. Poole, Cyprus (February 1972)
Subjects: Cyprus, rural postmarks, 1971
Places: Ayios IOANNIS (Paphos)
Time periods: 1971