Catalog
25 Drachmai
| Issuer | National Bank of Greece |
|---|---|
| Year | 1841 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | An ornate rectangular border frames the note, with classical allegorical figures rendered in intaglio vignettes at the left and right margins. The central field carries the bold Greek denomination inscription 'ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ ΕΙΚΟΣΙΠΕΝΤΕ' in letterpress, above which the issuer's name and founding law reference appear; a dry embossed official seal is applied at the left-center. Three signature lines designated for the Director, Royal Commissioner, and Cashier appear in the lower portion of the note. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | ΕΘΝΙΚΗ ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ Κατασταθείσα δια του Νόμου της 30 Μαρτίου 1841 ΠΛΗΡΩΤΕΑΙ ΕΙΣ ΜΕΤΡΗΤΑ ΤΩ ΚΟΜΙΣΤΗ, ΚΑΤΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΜΦΑΝΙΣΙΝ ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ ΕΙΚΟΣΙΠΕΝΤΕ Ο ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΤΗΣ Ο ΒΑΣΙΛ. ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΟΣ Ο ΤΑΜΙΑΣ |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The National Bank of Greece was established by royal decree in 1841, the same year this note was authorized — making this among the earliest issues of the institution itself. Greece had only formally gained independence in 1830 after nearly four centuries of Ottoman rule, and the country's monetary infrastructure was still being assembled from scratch. The Bank's early charter gave it the exclusive right of note issue, a privilege it would hold, contested and renegotiated, for decades.
Pick 15 is exceptionally rare. The embossed seal was the sole mechanical security feature, reflecting both the printing technology available and the limited circulation network the Bank could realistically support in 1841.