Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 2 Euro 2013, KM# 253, Greece, 100th Anniversary of the Union of Crete with Greece
  • 2 Euro 2013, KM# 253, Greece, 100th Anniversary of the Union of Crete with Greece
Description

The Cretan State was established in 1898, following the intervention by the Great Powers (Britain, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Russia) on the island of Crete. In 1897, an insurrection in Crete led the Ottoman Empire to declare war on Greece, which led Great Britain, France, Italy and Russia to intervene on the grounds that the Ottoman Empire could no longer maintain control. It was the prelude of the island's final annexation to the Kingdom of Greece, which occurred de facto in 1908 and de jure in 1913.

Obverse

The inner part depicts Cretan rebels raising the Greek flag, a symbolic representation of Crete's struggle for Union with Greece. On the upper side, in circular sense and with capital letters the name of the issuing country 'Hellenic Republic' in Greek. Underneath the words: '100 years of the union of Crete with Greece' in Greek. On the right: '1913-2013' and the sign of Athens Mint (stylized acanthus leaf). The outer ring contains the twelve stars of the European Union.

Engraver: Georgios Stamatopoulos

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ
1913-2013
100 ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

Reverse

A geographical map of Western Europe spans the outer ring and inner core on the right side of the coin. The inscription 2 EURO is superimposed over the map of Europe, with the numeral “2” located in an open field representing the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

12 stars are located on the right side of the outer ring, with six stars atop the map of Europe and six stars below it; six vertical stripes cut across the inner core of the coin, visually connecting the upper and lower star segments.

Luc Luycx, a designer at the Royal Belgian Mint, designed the Euro’s common reverse; his initials, LL, are seen on the right side of the design, just under the “O” in “EURO.”

2 EURO
LL

Edge

HELLENIC REPUBLIC in Greek

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ ★

2 Euro

100th Anniversary of the Union of Crete with Greece

KM# 253 Schön# 202
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Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Circulating)
Material Bi-Metallic
Ring Cupronickel
Center Nickel Brass
Weight 8.5 g
Diameter 25.75 mm
Thickness 2.2 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Bank of Greece

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