Catalog
50 Drachmai
| Issuer | Bank of Greece |
|---|---|
| Year | 1978 |
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| Size | 144 × 64 mm |
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| Obverse lettering | ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ 50 ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΝΤΑ ΠΛΗΡΩΤΕΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΗ ΕΜΦΑΝΙΣΕΙ ΕΝ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΣ Τῌ 8η ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ 1978 Ο ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΤΗΣ Ο ΔΙΟΙΚΗΤΗΣ Λ Ο ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ (Translation: Bank of Greece 50 Fifty Drachmai Paid on appearance In Athens, 8th of December 1978 The manager (signature of N. Christofilis) The governor (signature of Xenophon Zolotas) L O Poseidon) |
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| Reverse lettering | 50 ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ 50 50 ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΝΤΑ ΙΔΡΥΜΑ ΤΡΑΠΕΖΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ (Translation: 50 Bank of Greece 50 50 Fifty Drachmai [Printing] Works of the Bank of Greece) |
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| Comments |
By 1978, Greek monetary policy was consolidating after a turbulent decade that included the junta years and the transition back to parliamentary democracy in 1974. This note was produced entirely in-house at the state printing works in Holargos — Greece being one of relatively few countries during this period to handle domestic design, engraving, and printing under one roof for its circulating currency.
Xenophon Zolotas, whose signature appears here as Governor, was an economist of considerable influence who would later serve twice as Prime Minister during the 1989–1990 caretaker governments. The engravers — Orfanos on the obverse, Sabatakos on the reverse — were staff craftsmen at Holargos, their work reflecting the Greek printing office's quietly high technical standards.