Help Identify This Coin And Value?

Welcome! It should be in the world coin book. It looks to be a KM#42 5 Lepta of Greece. Don't have the book handy (I have to go to the library to use it), so I can't help with current value. Someone will be by to assist soon if they haven't already.

Hello and Welcome,

The coin is a copper 5 Lepta from Greece. The date is hard to read put looks like 1869 which would make it Krause# KM#42. Sorry to say the condition isn't that good, with the wear and damage I'd grade it as about good. As to values, krause has it at $2.00 in fine condition. This would be less than half that.


Veiw my collection at: http://www.omnicoin.com/?collection=echizento

THE KINGDOM OF GREECE

First king of Greece was Otho, who begins playing king in the year 1832. He was the guy that introduced the long standing Greek monetary system of 1832-2001.
1 drachma became 100 lepta.
Denominations were in copper 1,2,5 and 10 lepta, silver 1/4, 1/2, 1 and 5 drachmai, gold 20 drachmai.
Design was the portrait of the king in front and a scutcheon at the back for silver and gold; for copper coat of arms in front and denomination at the back.

Meanwhile, Great Brittain possessed the Ionian Isles, which were bought by the British from the Ottoman Empire in 1814. The British had two local coinages installed. The first was based on a 4 lepta of the obol, and the copper lepton, obol and 2 obol, which were issued in 1819-1821.
The second system was introduced in 1835, and had 5 lepta to the obol and the coins issued were the lepton in copper and the silver 30 lepta coin. All these designs are the Venetian Lion in front and Brittannia at the back (like she sits at all English Pennies until 1970). In the year 1864 the Ionian isles were given as a gift from Victoria to the new Greek monarch George I.

Georg von Holstein forced Otho to abdicate and ruled the country until 1913. There were no coins struck until the year 1868 and in the mean time Greece had joined the Latin Monetary Union.
Subsequent gold and silver issues were aligned to equivalent French Francs, and therefore they were minted in Paris, Bordeaux and Strassbourg. You can find 20 and 50 lepta in silver as well as 1,2 and 5 drachmai. Golden 5,10,20,50 and 100 drachmai also were struck.
The lepton and 2,5 and 10 lepta were issued in copper. THIS IS THE PERIOD IN WHICH YOUR COIN WAS BORN (1868).

From 1893 on the nickel was introduced for the 20 lepta and lesser denominations.

Until 1897 the isle of Crete remained under Ottoman Empire-ruling. Under the Greek prince Georg was a virtual proclamation of independance created, and therefor coins were struck aligned to Greece in 1900-1901. In the year 1908 Crete became fully united with the Greek throne.

The issues of 1910-1911 were very innovatory designs with scenes from classical Greek Mythology replacing the national coat of arms. All silver coins used a scene from the Illiad, copying a coin of King Pyrrhus of Epirus (295-272 BC), and the whole based coins shoed either Athena or the Athenian owl.

Under Constantine the first (1913-1923) little current coinage was issued. You can find a cupronickel 50 lepta which was minted at little private British Mints, and an aluminium 1922 10 lepta, minted in Poissy, France.

In coinage the stormy political events are not depicted, only banknotes will tell you that story by the way.

In between 1924-1935 the first Greek Republic was installed to replace the monarchy. At The Royal Mint of London cupro-nickel 20 and 50 lepta, 1and 2 drachmai, nickel 5 drachmai, and silver 10 and 20 drachmai were struck with mostly heads of deities portrayed.
1935 the monarchy was back in town, and under king George II (1935-1947) only commemoratives celebrating the restoration were struck. So the existing coins were roulating also under the new king.

His succeeder king Paul(1947-1964) made it possible to issue new coins with his face looking left and the Greek national arms at the back of each coin.
In Berne, Switzerland, the aluminium coins of 5, 10 ad 20 lepta were made, as well as the nickel 10 drachmai.
The silver 20 drachmai was made in London.
The cupronickel 50 lepta, 1, 2 and 5 drachmai were all minted in Paris.

Constantine II (1964-1973) made it possible that all the high values were transformed in cupro-nickel, minted in COMMUNISTIC Prague. In 1968 he was abdicated by military forces, but in his name and under his reign coins were still issued facing his portrait, while the King was not even living in Greece anymore... subsequentley exile.

The 2nd Republic was proclaimed in 1973, called the Hellenic Republic. The Athenian owl and the rising Phoenix were shown again in the design, to be replaced by Greek individuals in 1976, just until the Athenian owl walks again at the Greek euro of 2002.