| Description : After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Sultan
Mehmed II, most of the Greek‐speaking area belonged to the Ottoman Empire for four hundred years. However, there
were hardly any Turks in the Greek heartland ‐ rather, Greece was predominantly ruled by Greeks who cooperated with
the Sultan. The Greek Revolution (1821‐1829) refers to the struggle against Ottoman rule and for an independent Greek
republic. The drive for independence was initially supported by the great powers of France, Britain and Russia, mainly for
tactical reasons. The 25th of March 1821 marked the beginning of the Greek revolution; today the
25th of March is a bank holiday in Greece. The coin, designed by Georgios Stamatopoulos, shows a circular
section of the flag of Greece surrounded by twelve laurel branch tips as a symbol of honour, glory and victory. Circularly,
the occasion of issue is indicated as "1821‐2021 200 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ
ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ
ΕΠΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ" (1821‐2021 200 years since the Greek
Revolution) and the country of issue "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ
ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ" (Hellenic Republic). Below is a palmette the mint mark
of the Greek mint Νομισματοκοπειο /
Nomismatokopeio (Bank of Greece ‐ Mint) in Halandri and above it the designer's signet "ΣΤΑΜ".
|
