Greece (1939-1940)

This serie of banknotes belongs to period of the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas and the head of state George II, in the period before the beginning of the Italian occupation in WWII. There are banknotes of 50 drachmai, 100 drachmai, 500 drachmai and 1,000 drachmai.

50 drachmai (Πενήντα Χιλιαι)

This banknotes worth 50 drachmai was first circulated in January the 1st 1939. On the main side left it can be seen Hesiod, an ancientr Greek poet and philosopher and in the lower side, the White Tower of Thessaloniki. In the right side there is a gap for the digital watermark and in the four corners there are four 50's. In the middle appears the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Greek (Τραπεζα τησ Ελλαδοσ). The rest of the banknote is fulled with decorative and floristic elements.

On the other side you can see bas-relief in marble of the Parthenon of Athens, with a meeting of Poseidon, Apollo and Artemis. In the lower part there's a sentence saying "Έκδοσης πέμπτη" that means fifth issue and has two 50's and the name of the National Bank again. This banknote has a youngster's head as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 14.8 cm x 7.8 cm.

500 drachmai (Πεντακόσιες Χιλιαι)

This banknotes worth 500 drachmai was first circulated in January the 1st 1939. On the main side left it can be seen a Greek woman wearing the national dress. In the right side there is a gap for the digital watermark and in both sides of the banknote appears a flower, a toadflax. There are five 500's, four of them in the corners, the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Greek (Τραπεζα τησ Ελλαδοσ). The rest of the banknote is fulled with decorative elements.

On the other side you can see the port of Poros, an island in the south of Athens and in the upper right corner, the head of a Greek woman. In the lower part there's a sentence saying "Έκδοσης πέμπτη" that means fifth issue and has three 500's and the name of the National Bank again. This banknote has the woman's head as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 17.2 cm x 8.5 cm.

1,000 drachmai (Δραχμαι Χιλιαι)

This banknotes worth 1,000 drachmai was first circulated in January the 1st 1939. On the main side right it can be seen a Greek woman wearing the national dress. In the left side there is a gap for the digital watermark. There are four 1,000's, all of them in the corners, a flower (toadflax too), the written value of the banknote and the name of the National Bank in Greek (Τραπεζα τησ Ελλαδοσ). The rest of the banknote is fulled with decorative elements.

On the other side you can see in the left the Ancient Greek godness Athena, god of war, science, justice, wisdom and protectress of Athens. In th rest of the banknote appears Athens's Parthernon, temple dedicated to Athena. In the lower part there's a sentence saying "Έκδοσης πέμπτη" that means fifth issue and has four 1,000's and the name of the National Bank again. This banknote has a Greek man's head as digital watermark. The size of this banknote is 17.2 cm x 8.5 cm.