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1 Drachma - Constantine I Essai
| Issuer | Greece |
|---|---|
| Year | 1915 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Drachma |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek, Latin |
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| Reverse description | A crowned and mantled heraldic shield bearing the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece occupies the central field, rendered with fine engraving detail. Below the shield, the denomination 'ΔΡΑΧΜΗ' (Drachma) is inscribed. The word 'ESSAI' appears in small letters in the lower right field, confirming the pattern status of this strike. The surrounding legend reads 'ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ΙΣΧΥΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΟΥ' (Kingdom of Greece, My Strength is the Love of the People), the royal motto encircling the armorial design. |
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| Additional information |
Essais of this type were produced for official examination and approval, not circulation — struck in gold to test the dies and surface quality before committing to a base-metal production run that, in this case, never materialized at scale. Greece in 1915 was politically fractured by the National Schism, the bitter split between King Constantine I and Prime Minister Venizelos over whether to enter the First World War, which paralyzed normal governmental functions including routine currency administration. The timing is not incidental.
KM#E34 is among the rarer Greek essai pieces from the period, with surviving examples numbering in the dozens at most.