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		Rural Disservice


	A quick glance at the Cyprus postal rates, (the Cyprus sub-page to Research Notes), shows that the only valid use for the ¾ piastre value on its own is for internal letters up to one ounce. If your used examples bear “Rural Service” postmarks, their covers will have been carried by the inter-village rural bus service.


		Rural Service postmarks of Akhna, Vasilia and Kaliana

	Having said that, with rural operations in the hands of local contractors, deliveries might also be made by mule, cart, car or diligence. The Village Postal Agent would likely be found in the local coffee shop. Failing that, he might be found in the mill, mine or monastery. An unusually high proportion of internal use covers must have been discarded judging by their scarcity today. Little wonder, therefore, that they are the target for forgers. Three such forgeries appeared on eBay in May, one of which is shown below.


	¾ piaster on airmail cover to London, apparently tied by Larnaca d/r cds for 10 Jy 35 but seems to be a ham-fisted attempt at forging this value’s single use.


	The ¾ piaster wouldn’t have carried this cover to London by surface, let alone by air. The expected charge would have been 3½ piastres. As if to confirm matters, the “tying” of the stamp to the cover has been botched to an obvious extent.


	The outer ring has been aligned with the base of the “U” of Cyprus, making a nonsense of the previous letters.


	A collector might expect to pay three figures to obtain a genuine cover – like the cover below, the scan of which was kindly supplied by John Cooper.


	¾ piastre on inland cover to an hotel in Troodos tied by Kyrenia d/r cds for 7 Au 35.

	AJA - July 2006 With the kind assistance of Denis Watson and John Cooper


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