Greece 2000 drachma Fr-36
This specimen was lot 74004 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2023), where it sold for $600. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREECE. Gold Drachma, 2000. NGC PROOF-68 Ultra Cameo. Featuring the left-facing bust of the heroine Bouboulina, this nearly-flawless example glistens with an exceptional cameo nature." This is a gold version of the circulating type struck in copper 1988-200 (KM 150). Greece later joined the euro. Wikipedia comments,
"Laskarina Pinotsi, commonly known as Bouboulina (Greek: Λασκαρίνα (Μπουμπουλίνα) Πινότση; 1771 – 22 May 1825), was a Greek naval commander, heroine of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, and considered perhaps the first woman to attain the rank of admiral."
On 11 November 1944, following the liberation of Greece from Nazi Germany, old drachmae were exchanged for new ones at the rate of 50,000,000,000 old drachmae to one new drachma. Another devaluation occurred in 1954, at a rate of 1,000 to one. The third drachma assumed a fixed exchange rate of ₯30 per dollar until 20 October 1973: over the next 25 years, the official exchange rate gradually declined, reaching 400 drachmae per dollar. At the time of the transition to the euro, one euro = 340.75 drachmae.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 8.50 g, 0.917 fine gold, 18 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-36; KM-189.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, November 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancient & World Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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