Greece

The Minister for the National Economy and the Governor of the Bank of Greece chose the designs for their euro coins from a set of proposals presented by a national technical and artistic committee. The designer of the winning motivess was sculptor Georges Stamatopoulos, sponsored by the Bank of Greece. There is a separate design for each denomination.

Greek shipping

This coin features a model of an Athenian Trireme, a warship dating from the fifth century BC.

On the 2 cent coin is a Corvette, a type of ship used during the Greek War of Independence (1821-27).

The 5 cent coin shows a modern tanker, reflecting the innovative spirit of Greek shipping.

Prominent political figures

Rigas Fereos (1757-98) features on the 10 cent coin. He was a forerunner and leading figure of the Greek enlightenment, as well as a herald of Balkan liberation from Ottoman rule.

The 20 cent coin: Ioannis Capodistrias (1776-1831), a leading national and European politician who became the first Governor of Greece (1830-31) following the Greek War of Independence (1821-27).

Eleftherios Venizelos (1864-1936), one of Greece's most prominent political figures, is shown on the 50 cent coin. He was a pioneer in social reform and played a key role in modernising the Greek state and liberating Northern Greece and the Aegean islands.

The Antique

The 1 Euro coin features the image of the owl. This design was copied from an ancient Athenian 4-drachma coin (fifth century BC).

The 2 Euro coin depicts a scene from a mosaic in Sparta (third century AD), showing Europa being abducted by Zeus, who has taken the form of a bull. Europa is a figure from Greek mythology after whom Europe was named.

 

Commemorative 2 Euro Coins

2004 - Athens Olympics	2007 - Treaty of Rome

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