Greece 1944 - 20 Drachmae - Liberation Emergency Issue (9th November 1944) Unnumbered, No Watermark, Lithographic Printing / Historical Document These banknotes represents a crucial piece of modern Greek financial history. Issued on November 9, 1944, just weeks after the Liberation of Athens from Axis forces, these 20-Drachmae notes served as Emergency Currency (Scrip). They were released as part of the "Svolos Reform" to replace the hyperinflated occupation currency and stabilize the economy of the newly liberated Greek State. Due to the decimated infrastructure and the urgent need for liquidity, these notes were produced under extraordinary conditions, leading to several unique "Non-Banknote" characteristics: -Printer: Printed in Athens by the Bank of Greece (IETA) using lithography. -Paper Quality: Printed on standard commercial-grade paper without a watermark, lacking the typical security fibers of international banknotes. -Unnumbered Issue: In a rare move for a national currency, these notes were issued without serial numbers to accelerate production and distribution during the chaotic transitional period. -Format: Small "pocket-sized" dimensions, designed for maximum efficiency in paper consumption. -Design: Featuring the head of Zeus on the obverse and the Goddess Nike (Victory) from the Acropolis on the reverse—symbolic choices for a nation celebrating its regained freedom. These emergency notes had an exceptionally brief lifespan, remaining in active circulation for only 6 to 8 months. Due to the low-grade commercial paper used during production, the notes deteriorated rapidly, and surviving examples often bear the heavy "scars" of daily use. Before mid-1945, the Greek government initiated their urgent withdrawal rapidly, primarily for security reasons: the lack of serial numbers and watermarks made them highly vulnerable to counterfeiting. They were swiftly replaced by high-security banknotes printed in London, leaving these Athens-printed issues as rare, "battle-worn" relics of Greece’s immediate post-war financial struggle. The items show authentic signs of circulation consistent with the poor paper quality of the era. Authenticity: 100% original emergency issue of the Bank of Greece. Strong custom made packing, registered shipping.