Catalog
500 Drachmai
| Issuer | National Bank of Greece |
|---|---|
| Year | 1923-1926 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Drachmai |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central portrait vignette of Georgios Stavros, founder of the National Bank of Greece, set within an ornate frame. A rectangular overprint stamp reading ΝΕΟΝ 1926 is applied to the right portion of the note, validating its continued circulation. The face bears the denomination and issuing authority inscriptions in Greek script. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central vignette of the Erechtheion, the Ionic temple on the Acropolis of Athens, rendered in fine intaglio engraving within a decorative border. The denomination numeral 500 is repeated at both lateral margins, reinforcing the face value. Guilloche underprint patterns frame the central design. |
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| Comments |
The 500 Drachmai notes of this series were issued during one of the most turbulent monetary periods in modern Greek history. The catastrophic 1922 defeat in Asia Minor triggered a massive influx of refugees — over a million displaced Greeks — whose resettlement required emergency financing that pushed the National Bank deep into inflationary territory. These notes circulated alongside a currency that was rapidly losing purchasing power throughout the mid-1920s.
Bradbury Wilkinson's engraving quality is notably fine for an economy under this kind of fiscal strain. The commission itself reflects how heavily Greek governments of the period relied on established British security printers when domestic production capacity was insufficient.