#246 Greece 500

Identity

Where & when

Country Greece

Currency GRD

Denomination 500

Series name 1983 Series

Series year 1983

Issue year 1983

Era 1946_1989

Legal status demonetized

Predecessor currency —

Successor currency Euro

Subjects & design

What's on the note

Front portrait Ioannis Kapodistrias

Reverse subject Old Fortress of Corfu

Watermark Portrait of Ioannis Kapodistrias in clear field at left

Color palette #d4c99f,#8a9b7a,#654321

Themes statesman,architecture

Language / script Greek

Front: Ioannis Kapodistrias (1776–1831), Greek diplomat, politician, and statesman who served as the first head of state of independent Greece (1827–1831). A former Russian Foreign Minister, he was appointed Governor of the newly established First Hellenic Republic and worked to organize the nascent Greek state after the War of Independence. He was assassinated in 1831 and remains one of Greece's most honoured founding figures. The front also depicts the Bank of Greece headquarters building at lower right.

Back: The Old Fortress (Palaio Frourio) of Corfu, a Venetian fortress built on a rocky promontory jutting into the sea. Originally a Byzantine fortification, it was extensively rebuilt and expanded by the Venetians between the 15th and 17th centuries to defend against Ottoman attacks. The fortress is one of the most iconic landmarks of Corfu and a symbol of the island's strategic importance in the Ionian Sea. The scene shows the fortifications, the surrounding landscape with Mediterranean vegetation, and the characteristic architecture of the citadel.

Production

How it was made

Issuer Bank of Greece

Issuer (native) ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ

Printer Bank of Greece Printing Works

Engraver —

Material paper

Dimensions (mm) 170x80

Signatures: Governor: K. Lazaridis; Director: K. Kolikas

Security features: thread,watermark,intaglio,microprint

Geography

Greece in Europe

Greece in Europe. Other countries on the same continent shown in muted grey.

The story

Background & history

The 1983 series of Greek drachma banknotes was issued by the Bank of Greece (Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος) and remained in circulation until Greece adopted the euro in 2002. The 500 drachma note was part of a series that honored major figures from Greek history, with Kapodistrias chosen to represent the nation's modern political foundation. These notes were in use throughout the final decades of the drachma, which had served as Greece's currency since 1832. The series was demonetized on February 28, 2002, when the euro became Greece's sole legal tender. The note is dated Athens, 1 February 1983 (ΑΘΗΝΑ 1 ΦΕΒΡΟΥΑΡΙΟΥ 1983).

Catalogue

Collector references

Pick # P-201

Krause ID —

Rarity tier common

Series range 1983-2001

Provenance

How it came to me

Acquired date —

Acquired from —

Acquired price —

Currency —

Condition

Grade VF

Serial number 06E 094038

Serial prefix 06E

Note shows moderate circulation with visible creases, edge wear, and some soiling. Paper integrity intact with no tears.

Valuation

What it's worth now

$3–$8

Type default range $3–$8

Valuation history (1)

date	low	high	currency	source	note
2026-05-08 17:25:53	3.0	8.0	USD	ai	from claude-sonnet-4-5

Technical

History & extractions

AI extractions (1)

anthropic · claude-sonnet-4-5 2026-05-08 17:25:53

status: ok · step 1 · $0.0380 · 6293↓ + 1274↑ tokens

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