O nouă monedă comemorativă din Grecia - 13.03.2026

Utilizați butonul de Translate din dreapta pagini pentru traducere.

On March 17, the Bank of Greece will add a new commemorative 10-euro silver coin to its Philhellenic series, dedicated to Johann Jakob Meyer. The coin, which will have a face value of 10 euros and a retail price of 140 euros in Greece, pays tribute to this prominent figure of the Philhellenic movement.

Johann Jakob Meyer

Johann Jakob Meyer (1798–1826) was a Swiss journalist and Philhellenic renowned for his participation in the Greek War of Independence and for his contribution to the development of the press in the nascent Greek state.

Born in 1798 in Zurich, in what was then the Swiss Confederation, Meyer grew up in a European context marked by the spread of Enlightenment and liberal ideas at the beginning of the 19th century. Driven by the Philhellenic movement—an intellectual and political current that supported the emancipation of Greece from the Ottoman Empire—he traveled to Greece in 1821, during the outbreak of the War of Independence.

Settled in Missolonghi, a city that would become one of the main strongholds of the Greek resistance, Meyer played an active role in local political and civic life and collaborated with the revolutionary authorities. During the siege, he also participated in the city's defense. In 1824, he founded the newspaper Ellinika Chronika (Hellenic Chronicles), considered one of the first newspapers printed on Greek soil during the war. The publication aimed to report on the development of the conflict, spread ideals of freedom, and strengthen international support for the Greek cause.

The newspaper was printed on a press that arrived in Mesolongi with the support of European, particularly British, philhellenic committees, reflecting the international dimension of the independence movement. Through his writings, Meyer defended national sovereignty, freedom of the press, and the need for institutional organization, contributing to the formation of a public sphere within the revolutionary context.

During the Third Siege of Mesolonghi, carried out by Ottoman and Egyptian forces, Meyer remained in the city with its inhabitants. In April 1826, when the situation became untenable, he participated in the mass exodus known as the Mesolonghi Exodus. He lost his life during these events, becoming a symbolic figure of Philhellenic sacrifice.

OBVERSE

The obverse of the coin features the portrait of Johann Jakob Meyer, surrounded by inscriptions that include his name, the Greek mint mark, and the year of issue, "2026". At the bottom of the composition, his name appears again, this time in Greek, accompanied by the dates of his birth and death, "1798-1826".

REVERSE

The reverse of the coin features, in the center, the national coat of arms of Greece accompanied by the inscription "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ" (Hellenic Republic). This is surrounded by the colored flags of Italy and Switzerland, linked together by semicircular shapes. The outer ring displays the famous phrase by the English poet Percy Bysshe, "WE ARE ALL GREEKS," while the face value of the coin, "10 ΕΥΡΩ" (10 euros), is indicated at the top.

PRESENTATION

Technical specifications

Country: Greece
Year: 2026
Face value: €10
Metal: 999 Silver
Design: L. Pavli, M. Antonatou
Weight: 34.10 g
Diameter: 40 mm
Quality: Proof
Print run: 1,000

Sursa informațiilor aici.