Basic Country Data:

• Country ISO Code: GR

• Official Language: Greek

• Language ISO Code: el

• Current Official Currency: Euro

• Current Currency ISO Code: EUR

Euro (EUR) — Current Official Currency

• ISO Code: EUR

• Singular Name: euro

• Plural Name: euros

• Monetary Subdivision: 1 euro = 100 cents

• Subdivision Name Singular: cent

• Subdivision Name Plural: cents

• Initial Production Date: 1999 (electronic), 2002 (physical)

• Initial Circulation Date in Greece: January 1, 2002

• Final Production Date: ongoing

• Final Circulation Date: currently in circulation

• Mint: various European mints, including the Greek Mint

• Issuing Bank: European Central Bank (ECB)

• Coin Denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents; 1 and 2 euros

• Banknote Denominations: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 euros (500 euro note no longer issued since 2019)

• Designs / Symbols:

  • Coins: common European side and national side featuring Greek symbols such as the owl of Athena (symbol of wisdom), the turtle (symbol of longevity), and the figure of Rhodes, along with the 12 stars of the European Union.

  • Banknotes: European architectural motifs (bridges, doors, windows), no depiction of real persons.

• Economic Historical Context:

  • Greece adopted the euro in 2002, replacing the drachma, a currency with millennia of history and several reforms.

  • Adoption of the euro was part of European economic integration, with a dual circulation period until the drachma ceased to be legal tender.

• Mint Locations: Greek Mint and other European mints.

• Mintages / Commemoratives:

  • 2 euro commemorative coins have been issued for Greek and European historical and cultural events.

• Curiosities / Commemorative Coins:

  • The owl of Athena on the coins refers to the ancient Athenian tetradrachm, a classic symbol of Greek civilization.

• Current Circulation Status: active and widely used throughout the country.

• Issuing Authority: European Central Bank, in coordination with the Bank of Greece.

• Relevant Legislation: European Union treaties, ECB regulations, and Greek national legislation.

• Signatories on Banknotes: President and Vice-President of the European Central Bank.

• Persons Honored on Coins and Banknotes: Greek national symbols, no portraits of real persons.

Greek Drachma (GRD) — Former Official Currency (1832–2001)

• ISO Code: GRD

• Singular Name: drachma

• Plural Name: drachmas

• Monetary Subdivision: 1 drachma = 100 lepta

• Subdivision Name Singular: lepton

• Subdivision Name Plural: lepta

• Initial Production Date: 1832 (modern currency)

• Final Production Date: 2001

• Initial Circulation Date: 1832

• Final Circulation Date: December 31, 2001 (transition period until 2002)

• Mint: Greek Mint

• Issuing Bank: Bank of Greece

• Coin Denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 lepta; 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 drachmas

• Banknote Denominations: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 drachmas

• Designs / Symbols:

  • Coins and banknotes featured classical Greek symbols, historical and cultural figures of Greece.

• Economic Historical Context:

  • The drachma is one of the world’s oldest currencies, used since antiquity and modernized in the 19th century.

  • It underwent several reforms before being replaced by the euro in 2002.

• Current Circulation Status: out of circulation since 2002, no official exchange possible.

• Issuing Authority: Bank of Greece.

This report provides a complete financial history of Greece, highlighting the transition from the drachma to the euro in 2002, the characteristics of coins and banknotes, historical context, and current status of the official currency.