Nomos 31

GREECE. Georgios I, 1863-1913. Pattern 5 Drachmai 1873 (Copper, 37 mm, 20.52 g), uniface reverse die ESSAI, Paris, struck from dies by Albert-Désiré Barre, plain edge. Plain. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ Crowned and mantled shield bearing the coat of arms of the kingdom of Greece; below, 5 ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ; in tiny letters in the lower left field, ESSAI. Karamitsos T.56 (this coin, but not illustrated). KM TS16. Tzamalis, Νομίσματα Ελληνικού Χώρου, Δ41 (this coin). Graded by NGC "MS 64 BN". Cert number: 6644262-002. Virtually as struck.

From the El-Greco Collection of Modern Greek Rarities, and from the collection of Leonidas C. Hermes, Hess-Divo 273, 25 March 1998, 130 (described as unique), ex Schweizerischer Bankverein 9, 30 January 1980, 745, previously published by Tzamalis in 1977, and from the collection of King Farouk, Sotheby & Co., 24 February 1954, lot 2416 (part).

When this coin was published in the Hellas catalogue, it was stated that it was made of bronze. However, metal analysis proves that it is almost entirely made of copper (Cu: 99.74, Ni: 0.116, Sb: 0.022, Pb: 0.075), as it was stated when it was sold in 1954 as part of "The Palace Collections of Egypt".