Greek Euro Coins




Greece was the first extension to the Eurozone (2001) and started issuing coins in 2002. Some basic facts relating to Greece.


The Commemorative Coins of Greece provide a window into ancient and modern Greek history.




Normal Currency Coins.


Greek Euro Coins are one of the few sets that have eight different motifs - one for each of the coins and like Austria it has grouped them into three different themes. Greece started minting coins in 2002.


The first series of three (1,2 and 5 cent coins)represent ships that have helped shape the history of Greece.


  • an Athenian trieme (a type of warship) from  the fifth century BC.
  • a corvette from the early nineteenth century.
  • a modern oil tanker.

The second series of three (10,20 and 50 cent coins) reprsent famous Greeks.


  • Rigas Velestinlis-Fereos a Greek poet and leading figure of the Greek enlightenment.
  • Capodistrias - the first president of Greece (1830-1831).
  • Venizelos - social reformer and diplomat.

The third series of two (1and 2 Euro coins) represent figures from mythology.


  • an owl as depicted on the Athenian drachme coin ca. 500 BC.
  • scene on a mosaic from Sparta .




There are a few other interesting features with Greek Euro Coins.


i) as Greek uses a different script from the rest of the Euro countries the words Euro and Lepta (cent ) appear on the national side of the coin in the Hellenic Script. On the common side Euro and Cent appear in the normal Latin script.

Although some other countries such as Austria also show values on the national side this is against the latest guidelines which only sanction the procedure for countries not using the Latin script.


ii) in 2002 Greece was not able to mint timeously the required number of coins herself and a part of the minting was done by other "Euro countries".

The foreign countries that minted Greek coins in 2002 are:

  • France : 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent and 50 cent.
  • Spain : 20 cent.
  • Finnland : 1 Euro, 2 Euro.

The foreign issues can be identified as follows :

A small letter is shown within the star nearest the date 2002.

The letters are :

  • F - France
  • E - Spain(Espana)
  • S - Finnland(Suomi)

In the various values this means:


  • 1 cent - a small F in the star at ten o'clock.
  • 2 cent - a small F in the star at two o'clock.
  • 5 cent - a small F in the star at two o'clock.
  • 10 cent - a small F in the star at eight o'clock.
  • 20 cent - a small E in the star at eight o'clock.
  • 50 cent - a small F in the star at eight o'clock.
  • 1 Euro - a small S in the star at six o'clock.
  • 2 Euro - a small S in the star at six o'clock.



Greek 1 cent coin




1 cent - An Athenian trieme(a type of warship) from around the fifth century BC.




Greek 2 cent coin



2 cent - A corvette from the early nineteenth century - in service during the Greek war of independence.



Greek 5 cent coin



5 cent - A modern oil tanker.




Greek 10 cent coin


10 cent - Rigas Velestinlis-Fereos - a Greek poet and leading figure of the Greek enlightenment.





Greek 20 cent coin



20 cent - Capodistrias - the first president of Greece(1830-1831) after the War of Independence.



Greek 50 cent coin




50 cent - Venizelos - social reformer and diplomat who contributed greatly to the modernisation of Greece.




Greek 1 Euro €  coin



1 Euro - An owl as was depicted on the one drachme coin in Athens ca. 500 BC.



Greek 2 Euro € coin



2 Euro - Scene on a mosaic in Sparta - Europe abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull.




Two Euro Coin Rim

Around the rim of the Two Euro Coin appears "Greek Democracy" - in the Greek alphabet - plus one star.






Greek Commemorative Two Euro Coins.


The Olympic Games in 2004 in Athens in a sense gave birth to the Euro Commemorative issues. In 2004 Greece minted no standard two Euro coins for circulation but only the 2004 commemorative - indeed over 34 million of them.



Greek Commemorative Coin 2004 - Olympic Games 2004

2004 - Myron Discus Thrower - Emblem of the 2004 Olympics held in Athens. This was the very first Euro commemorative issue.

Date of issue     : 12.05.2004

Issuing Volume : 35 Million


Greek Commemorative Coin 2010 - Battle of Marathon

2010 - This commemorates the famous battle of Marathon that took place over 2500 years ago. Depicted is one of the Marathon warriors.

Date of issue     : 25.10.2010

Issuing Volume : 2,5 Million


Greek Commemorative Coin 2011 - special olympics 2011 Athens

2011 - The special olympics of 2011 in Athens. These games were for retarded and severely handicapped people.


Date of issue     : 30.05.2011

Issuing Volume : 1 Million


Greek Commemorative Coin 2013 - Platon Academy

2013 - 2.400th Anniversary of the founding of the Platon Academy.


Date of issue     : 01.10.2013

Issuing Volume : 754.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2013 - Crete annexation with Greece

2013 - 100th Anniversary of the union of Crete with Greece.


Date of issue     : 01.10.2013

Issuing Volume : 754.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2014 - Dominikos Theotokopoulos

2014 - 400th Anniversary of the death of Domínikos Theotokópoulos.


Date of issue     : 24.09.2014

Issuing Volume : 754.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2014 - Ionian islands  union with Greece

2014 - 150th Anniversary of the union of the Ionian Islands with Greece.


Date of issue     : 24.09.2014

Issuing Volume : 754.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2015 - Spyridon Louis

2015 - 75th Anniversary of the death of Spyridon Louis.

Date of issue     : 23.12.2015

Issuing Volume : 750.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2016 - Arkadu Monastery

2016 - 150th Anniversary of destruction of the Arkadu Monastery.


Date of issue     : 16.12.2016

Issuing Volume : 750.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2016 - Dimitri Mitropoulos

2016 - 120th Anniversary of the birth of Dimitri Mitropoulos.

Date of issue     : 16.12.2016

Issuing Volume : 750.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2017 - Nikos Katzanakis

2017 - 60th Anniversary of the death of Nikos Katzanakis.



Date of issue     : 10.07.2017

Issuing Volume : 750.000


Greek Commemorative Coin 2017 - Archaeologial Site of Philipi

2017 - Archaeological Site of Philipi.



Date of issue     : 12.10.2017

Issuing Volume : 750.000


2018 - 75th Anniversary of the death of Kostis Palamas.

Date of issue     : 25.10.2018

Issuing Volume : 750.000


2018 - 70th Anniversary of the union the Dodekanes with Greece.

Date of issue     : 25.10.2018

Issuing Volume : 750.000


2019 - 100th Anniversary of the birth of Manolis Andronikos.

Date of issue     : 11.07.2019

Issuing Volume : 750.000


2019 - 150th Anniversary of the death of Andreas Kalvos.

Date of issue     : 11.07.2019

Issuing Volume : 750.000


2020 - 2500th Anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae


Date of issue     : 31.01.2020

Issuing Volume : 750.000


2020 - 100th Anniversary of the unification of Thrace with Greece.


Date of issue     : 16.07.2020

Issuing Volume : 750.000



2021 - 200th Anniversary of the Greek Revolution.


Date of issue     : 22.04.2021

Issuing Volume : 1.500.000




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