Greek 10 Drachmai

The most intriguing fact about the Greek 10 Drachmai from 1833 to 1836 is that they were struck in Paris, not Athens, using French minting equipment because Greece lacked the infrastructure at the time. This reliance on foreign help highlights the new nation's early dependencies, even as it asserted its independence. The coins, part of the Early Phoenix series, feature a phoenix rising from ashes on the reverse, symbolizing rebirth after the Greek War of Independence, and King Otto's portrait on the obverse.

These silver pieces were minted on planchets of .835 fineness, weighing around 25 grams each. Records don't specify exact mintages, as many early Greek coin documents were lost in subsequent upheavals. I've examined dozens over the years, and it's clear they circulated widely in daily transactions.

It's somewhat ironic that a coin emblematic of Greek sovereignty was produced abroad.