Catalog
5 Drachmai
| Issuer | National Bank of Greece |
|---|---|
| Year | 1905-1918 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Portrait vignette of Georgios Stavros, founder of the National Bank of Greece, positioned at left, with the national coat of arms at right. The composition is framed by fine guilloche ornamental borders typical of American Bank Note Company engraving work. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central oval intaglio vignette of Athena in profile, helmeted and wearing classical dress, set within an elaborate guilloche surround of floral and geometric patterns. The numeral '5' appears in large format at both left and right flanks. The Greek legend ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ ΠΕΝΤΕ is inscribed across the upper panel, with ΕΚΔΟΣΙΣ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ in a lower cartouche, and the printer's imprint AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, NEW YORK along the bottom margin. |
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| Comments |
The National Bank of Greece relied on American Bank Note Company for this series at a time when domestic printing capacity was nowhere near sufficient for a state-scale currency run. ABNC's New York shop produced work of consistently high intaglio quality, and their Greek contracts from this period show the sharp fine-line engraving characteristic of their export commissions.
The date range spans the Balkan Wars and the First World War — a period of dramatic territorial expansion for Greece and severe fiscal strain. Notes from the earlier part of the range circulated into conditions quite different from those in which they were issued.