10 drachmai 1940
Market Prices
85 salesAbout This Note
This is an uncirculated 1940 Greek 10 Drachmai note (Pick P-314) featuring a classical portrait of Demeter in profile on the obverse and the University of Athens depicted as a grand classical temple on the reverse. The note displays pristine condition with crisp printing, vibrant color separation in blue-gray, tan, and cream tones, and exhibits no signs of circulation, creasing, or wear—a desirable example of this wartime-era Greek currency.
Common. This note is widely available in the collector market with consistent sales activity across all condition grades on eBay, ranging from circulated examples at $1-2 to UNC specimens selling for $2-6 typically, and certified PMG examples fetching $10-45 depending on grade. The large number of transaction records over a 14-year period indicates substantial circulation in the secondary market. No print run restrictions or recall history are known for this Pick number.
Issued on April 6, 1940, during the Metaxas dictatorship in Greece, this note reflects the Kingdom of Greece's classical heritage through its iconography of Demeter, the ancient goddess of agriculture and harvest. The obverse inscription references Law 2153 of December 12, 1939, and the reverse depicts the University of Athens, symbolizing Greek intellectual and cultural continuity during a turbulent period in European history.
The obverse features a classical left-facing profile portrait of Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess of agriculture and grain, rendered in fine line engraving within a decorative circular frame enriched with laurel wreaths. Heraldic medallions occupy the top corners, while the denomination (10 Drachmai) is prominently displayed. The reverse depicts the neoclassical façade of the University of Athens, a Doric-columned temple structure with a triangular pediment, rendered as an elaborate architectural vignette framed by repeating palmette motifs on both sides. Large circular medallions containing the numeral 10 are positioned in the corners. The color scheme employs blue and brown on the reverse with tan and cream underprints throughout.
{"obverse":{"ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ":"Kingdom of Greece","ΔΗΜΗΤΗΡ":"Demeter","ΔΕΚΑ ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ":"Ten Drachmai","ΠΛΗΡΩΤΕΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΗ ΕΜΦΑΝΙΣΕΙ ΕΝ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΣ ΤΗ 6ή ΑΠΡΙΛΙΟΥ 1940":"Payable upon presentation in Athens on the 6th April 1940","Ο ΥΠΟΥΡΓΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΩΝ":"The Minister of Finance","ΝΟΜΟΣ 2153 ΤΗΣ 12ης ΔΕΚΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ 1939":"Law 2153 of December 12, 1939"},"reverse":{"ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ":"Kingdom of Greece","Η ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΗΣ Η ΠΛΑΣΤΟΓΡΑΦΗΣΗΣ ΚΑΙ Η ΕΝ ΓΝΟΣΕΙ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΑΣΤΗΤΟΥ ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΙΝ ΤΙΜΟΡΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΝ ΝΟΜΟΝ":"Counterfeiting, imitation, and the knowing circulation of counterfeits are punished according to law","LEI PZIG - GIESECKE & DEURIEN - BERLIN":"Leipzig - Giesecke & Deurien - Berlin (Printer)"}}
Intaglio (copperplate engraving) printed by Giesecke & Devrient, Leipzig/Berlin. The note exhibits multi-color printing with separate color layers creating the blue-gray, tan, cream, brown, and orange-red tones observed. Fine line engraving is visible throughout both sides, with complex decorative patterns and architectural details characteristic of high-security banknote production of the 1940 era.
This specimen exhibits the 'A 04' series prefix visible on the obverse, with serial number 143610. The April 6, 1940 issue date is standard for this Pick number. No major varieties (such as signature varieties, overprints, or significant serial number prefix variations) are documented for this particular denomination and issue in standard catalogs, though collectors may encounter minor differences in printing shades or serial ranges depending on printing batches.
