2 Lepta - George I 1st portrait

Greece contracted the Paris Mint to strike this issue, part of a broader recoinage effort following the country's adoption of the Latin Monetary Union framework in 1868. The timing mattered politically — aligning Greek coinage to LMU standards was as much a diplomatic gesture toward France as it was a practical monetary reform.

The "1st portrait" designation distinguishes this from the later George I types, the obverse die having been recut in subsequent years. Paris mint production records for small Greek bronze from this period show irregular delivery schedules, with consignments sometimes delayed by months.