Catalog
1000 Drachmai
| Issuer | National Bank of Greece |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920-1922 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | A vignette of Georgios Stavros, founder of the National Bank of Greece, occupies the left portion of the note, while a central allegorical vignette presents the goddess Demeter surrounded by crops and agricultural implements. An ancient Greek coin motif appears at the top, and the coat of arms with the overprint «ΝΕΟΝ» is positioned at the right. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The central vignette presents an engraved view of the Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae, flanked by ornately decorated pedestals at either side. Two ancient Greek coin motifs are arranged along the lower margin, providing an architectural and numismatic frame to the composition. |
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| Comments |
Greece was in the middle of the Greco-Turkish War when this note circulated, a conflict that would end in catastrophic defeat and the forced population exchange of 1923. The National Bank of Greece had turned to the American Bank Note Company during the First World War years when European printers were unavailable or unreliable, and the relationship continued into this series.
The 1,000 Drachmai denomination was substantial — inflation had not yet reached the ruinous levels it would hit later in the decade, so this note represented real purchasing power during its circulation window.