5 Para Countermarked A+N on Turkey KM-666.3, AH1255

Greece acquired large quantities of Ottoman copper coinage following independence and the chronic shortage of small change that plagued the early kingdom. Rather than mint entirely new low-denomination pieces, authorities countermarked existing Turkish paras already circulating in the region. The A+N punch — standing for Alexandros Nikos, referencing the regency council operating during Otto's minority — was applied to legitimize these coins as Greek state currency.

KM-666.3 hosts are the most frequently encountered base for this countermark, though the quality of the punch application varies considerably from piece to piece.