© Heritage Auctions
© Heritage Auctions
1 Drachme Pattern Strike ND
1868 year| Copper-nickel | - | - |
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| King | George I (1863-1913) |
| Type | Pattern |
| Year | 1868 |
| Value | 1 Drachma |
| Currency | First modern drachma (1832-1944) |
| Composition | Copper-nickel |
| Shape | Round |
| Technique | Milled |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-05 |
| Numista | N#367460 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 95% |
Reverse
Crowned arms of Greece, value below
Script: Greek
Lettering:
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ
1 ΔΡΑΧΜH
Comment
Double reverse, only 3 pieces are knownInteresting fact
This coin was designed by the famous French engraver and medalist, Jean-Baptiste Mercier, who was commissioned by the Greek government to create a new currency for the country. Mercier's design features a bust of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, on the obverse, and an image of a phoenix rising from the ashes on the reverse. The phoenix symbolized the rebirth of Greece as a modern nation-state after centuries of Ottoman rule. The coin was never officially released into circulation, but a small number of pattern strikes were produced as trial runs. As a result, the Pattern 1 Drachme (Pattern Strike) ND (1868) is now a highly sought-after collector's item among numismatists.
