Bank of Cyprus, the largest banking and financial services group in Cyprus, has built its visual identity around a single historical artifact: a bronze coin from the Roman period bearing the inscription “ΚΟΙΝΟ(Ν) ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ” (League of the Cypriots) within a laurel wreath. This coin, minted during the reign of Emperor Claudius (A.D. 41-54), has served as the official logo of the Bank of Cyprus since 1963.[1]
Design and History
The bank’s origins trace to 1899, when the Savings Bank “Laiki Bank” was founded in Cyprus. In 1912, shareholders formalized its transition into the “Bank of Cyprus,” a joint-stock entity.[2] The coin that would become the bank’s emblem was donated to the Bank by a member of its Board of Directors and was included in the initial collection that formed the core of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation’s numismatic collection.[3]
In 2009, the Bank of Cyprus launched a new corporate identity as part of its international expansion, marking its 110th anniversary. The new logo was represented by an olive branch, using an image intended to be easily recognizable and memorable, drawing on the international language of symbolism to recall the bank’s intrinsic values. The bank stated that the shape and colors of the new logo did not undergo radical changes, in order to maintain continuity between the old and new logos.[4]
The bank’s own sustainability communications continue to reference the “Koinon Kyprion” (common to all Cypriots) logo as its “solid foundation and guiding principle.”[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The coin’s reverse inscription, “ΚΟΙΝΟ(Ν) ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ” (League of the Cypriots), was historically a symbol of unity among the peoples of the island.[1] The laurel wreath surrounding the inscription is a classical symbol of victory and honor. The bank’s official emblem, featuring the copper Cypriot coin of Emperor Claudius, carries an inscription within a laurel wreath that symbolizes unity and resilience.[2]
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