162

Banque Nationale de Greece, 1899/1900 Historic ABNC Banknote Order Correspondence

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Paper Money - World Currency Start Price:625.00 USD Estimated At:750.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Banque Nationale de Greece, 1899/1900 Historic ABNC Banknote Order Correspondence
SOLD
2,500.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2021 Mar 10 @ 12:42UTC-5 : EST/CDT
PLEASE CONTACT US TO REGISTER FOR LIVE BIDDING OR ABSENTEE BIDDING AT:

PH: 1-201-944-4800
FAX: 1-201-839-3336
Web: www.archivesinternational.com
Email: info@archivesinternational.com

Snail Mail: Archives International Auctions
1060 Main Street, Suite 202, River Edge, NJ 07661

The auction will take place on March 10, 2021 at AIA's office located at 1060 Main St., Suite #202, River Edge, NJ 07661 beginning at 11:00 AM
Athens, Greece, 27 Dec. 1899 / 8 Jan. 1900. 4 Page extremely detailed handwritten letter to the American Bank Note Company from "Le Gouverneur" (The Governor) of the National Bank of Greece on the bank's letterhead featuring the arms of the bank in the top left corner. Also included is a typewritten translation of the letter by an ABN translator. Bradbury had printed 10 and 100 Drachmas denomination notes dated from June to July 1900 (P-44& P-48) and ABNC had printed a 1903 dated 25 Drachmas (P-47) and 500 and 1000 Drachmas dated 1901 (P-49 & P-50). The letter is referring to these issues, and evidently the National Bank of Greece chose to break up the order, and offered the lower values to Bradbury and the high values to ABNC, with the 25 Drachmas notes not being printed until 1903. It appears that this was due to the price and possibly speed of note production. The letter also requested estimates for notes to be printed for the Banque de Crete, "50,000 Notes of 100 Drachmas and 300,000 Notes of 25 Drachmas". This order was won and printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Company. The letter also goes into considerable detail about the size of each banknote, for example "Notes of 1,000 Drachmas, 20 x 10 Centimeters...." for each denomination. The quantities of each note requested are also listed, as well as the types of vignettes, "Engraving representing Hermes lacing his wings on feet (1000 Drachmas, P-50)". ABNC began printing banknotes for Greece in 1863 and had a long-term relationship with the bank. Rare and unique correspondence from the National Bank of Greece to one of its banknote suppliers, the American Bank Note Company, which offers an inside glimpse of the relationship between the two entities, as well as additional historic information on these well known Greek notes. Unique and Historic Greek Numismatic history.