Greece 1855 1/4 drachma
This specimen was lot 33259 in Heritage sale 3073 (Chicago, April 2019), where it sold for $720. The catalog description[1] noted, "Othon 1/4 Drachma 1855 UNC Details (Cleaned) NGC, Vienna mint. A laudable survivor of this minor issue which frequently saw use in jewelry, some mottled topaz color beginning to reemerged over the fields, suggesting only a very light cleaning in the distant past. From the Engelen Collection of World Coinage." This type is listed for 1851 and 1855 and, like most of the issues of nineteenth century Greece, is scarce. Fifty lepta struck 1868 and later were minted to the standard of a French silver fifty centimes. Greece, poor, backward, corrupt and riven by feuds, could ill afford a substantial silver coinage.
Wikipedia comments,
"Otto (1815-67) was a Bavarian prince who ruled as King of Greece from the establishment of the monarchy on 27 May 1832, under the Convention of London, until he was deposed on 23 October 1862. The second son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended the newly created throne of Greece at age 17. His government was initially run by a three-man regency council made up of Bavarian court officials. Upon reaching his majority, Otto removed the regents when they proved unpopular with the people, and he ruled as an absolute monarch. Eventually his subjects' demands for a constitution proved overwhelming, and in the face of an armed (but bloodless) insurrection, Otto granted a constitution in 1843."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.11 g, 0.900 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 33.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3073, featuring the Lake County Collection of British coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
Link to:
- 1845 ¼ drachma
- 1855 ½ drachma
- Coins and currency dated 1855
- return to coins of Greece