The Coin as a Carrier of History

The Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection in "Dialogue" with Coins from the Leventeio Municipal Museum Collection

For the first time in Cyprus, a significant section of the Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection is being presented. It is one of the largest and most important private coin collections in the world, with more than 11.000 coins. The Leventeio Municipal Museum of Nicosia and Alpha Bank present the exhibition "Messages in Metal. A Timeless Dialogue with Cyprus".

The Alpha Bank exhibits are presented in a distinctive "dialogue" with coins from the Leventeio Municipal Museum of Nicosia Collection, highlighting the long numismatic history of Cyprus and its place in the political, economic and cultural routes of the Eastern Mediterranean. Through selected coins from different eras and geographical regions, the exhibition presents the coin not only as a means of exchange, but also as a carrier of history, narrative and cultural memory. The images, symbols and inscriptions impressed on the metal tell stories of power, identity, faith and social values, turning each coin into a valuable historical testimony of the society that created it.

The exhibition includes a total of 136 coins: 110 from the Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection, 23 from the Leventeio Municipal Museum of Nicosia Collection and 3 from the Leventeio Art Gallery Collection. The exhibition is organized into three thematic sections: "Transactions", "Narration" and "Symbolism", which present the evolution and use of the coin, the stories and figures imprinted on it, and the messages of identity and power it conveyed through the centuries.

The overall coordination of the exhibition is in the hands of Dr. Tzeni Lymperopoulou Savvidou, Director of the Leventeio Municipal Museum of Nicosia, and Dr. Dimitra Tsagkari, Curator of the Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection. Dr. Dimitra Tsagkari is responsible for the museological study and curation of the exhibition.

The exhibition is accompanied by the bilingual publication "Messages in Metal. A Timeless Dialogue with Cyprus", which serves as its scholarly and interpretive companion. Through texts and rich photographic material, the publication presents the history of the exhibits, the evolution of Cypriot coinage and the role of the two collections in highlighting cultural heritage.

As part of the exhibition, a programme of lectures and guided tours will take place, as well as educational programmes for families with children and for primary and secondary school students.

Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00 - 16:00 (Closed Mondays and public holidays).