20 Para Countermarked of ΚΘΕΠ on Turkey KM-668.2, AH1255

In the late 1830s, Greece faced a chronic shortage of small change and resorted to countermarking surplus Ottoman copper coinage for domestic circulation. Turkish 20-para pieces — already abundant in the region and familiar to the population — were overstruck with the ΚΘΕΠ mark (Κεντρική Θησαυροφυλακεία Ελληνικού Παλαίου, the Central Treasury of the Greek State) to legitimize their use under the Bavarian-backed Othonian administration. The practice was pragmatic rather than principled: Greece simply lacked the mint infrastructure to meet demand.

Countermark placement varies considerably, with some strikes landing off-flan or partially doubled — a consequence of hand application rather than press work.