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2 Drachmai Privileged Bank of Epirus and Thessaly
| Issuer | Privileged Bank of Epirus and Thessaly |
|---|---|
| Year | 1885 |
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| Reference(s) | P#S105 |
| Obverse description | Two oval intaglio portrait vignettes flank the central field: Alexander the Great at left and a helmeted Athena at right, both rendered in fine engraved style against a guilloche underprint. The central area carries a large ornate numeral '2' vignette with the serial number above, and the denomination inscription ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ ΔΥΟ in bold lettering below. The date of the authorising law and two manuscript signature lines appear at the foot, with the printer's imprint BRADBURY WILKINSON & Co LONDON along the lower border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | Η ΠΑΡΑΠΟΙΗΣΙΣ, Η ΠΛΑΣΤΟΓΡΑΦΗΣΙΣ ΚΑΙ Η ΕΝ ΓΝΩΣΕΙ ΤΗΣ ΠΛΑΣΤΟΤΗΤΟΣ ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΙΑ ΤΙΜΩΡΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΝ ΝΟΜΟΝ |
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| Comments |
The Privileged Bank of Epirus and Thessaly was chartered in 1882, following the incorporation of these two regions into the Greek state after the Convention of Constantinople. The bank held regional note-issuing rights and operated in competition with the National Bank of Greece, which had long dominated Athenian finance — a rivalry Athens never fully tolerated. Bradbury Wilkinson produced the plates in London, a standard arrangement for Greek regional issuers who lacked domestic intaglio capacity.
The bank's concession was revoked in 1899, making the full series short-lived. Low-denomination notes like this 2 Drachmai saw the hardest circulation and survive in the worst condition.