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Greek 20 drachma coins
The name drachma is derived from the verb dratto ("to grasp"), as initially a drachma was a fistful (a "grasp") of six oboloi (metal sticks), which were used as a form of currency as early as 1100 BC. The 5th century BC Athenian tetradrachmon ("four drachmae") coin was the most widely used coin in the Greek world prior to the time of Alexander the Great.
After Alexander the Great's conquests, the name drachma was used in many of the Hellenistic kingdoms in the Middle East, including the Ptolemaic kingdom in Alexandria. The Arabic unit of currency known as dirham known from pre-Islamic times and afterwards, inherited its name from the drachma; the dirham is still the name of the official currencies of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. The Armenian dram also derives its name from the drachma.
The following 20 drachma coins have circulated in Greece until the introduction of the Common European Currency on January 1, 2002:
  | 20 drachmas - Dionysious Solomous Dionisios Solomos encouraged the nation emerging from Turkish bondage and his fine Hymn to Liberty (1823), written at the age of 25, became the national anthem of Greece. He was born in Zakinthos in 1978, which, by a quirk of history, was at that time a British Protectorate. His father, Count Salomon, was English and Solomos himself held a British Passport. Late in the 19th century, Greek scholars and writers concerned themselves with a systematization of the popular tongue for purposes of education and communication. Solomos is considered one of the leaders of this widespread movement, known as Demotikists, because the vernacular language is called Demotike ...
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  | 20 drachmas - Pericles Pericles (495 bC - 429 bC) was an Athenian statesman, so influential in Athenian history that the period of his power is called the Age of Pericles. Under Pericles' leadership Athens became a great center of literature and art. The supremacy of Athens aroused the jealousy of the other Greek city-states, especially of Sparta, long the bitter rival of Athens. The cities feared the imperialistic schemes of Pericles and sought to overthrow Athenian domination ...
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  | 20 drachmas - Pericles Pericles (495 bC - 429 bC) was an Athenian statesman, so influential in Athenian history that the period of his power is called the Age of Pericles. Under Pericles' leadership Athens became a great center of literature and art. The supremacy of Athens aroused the jealousy of the other Greek city-states, especially of Sparta, long the bitter rival of Athens. The cities feared the imperialistic schemes of Pericles and sought to overthrow Athenian domination ...
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  | 20 drachmas - Godess athena Godess athena was patron of the crafts, wisdom and battle. She became the patron goddess of the city of Athens, in a competition with Poseidon. They agreed that each would give the Athenians one gift and the Athenians would choose whichever gift they preferred. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and a spring sprung up; the water was salty and not very useful, whereas Athena offered them an olive tree. The Athenians (or their king, Cecrops) accepted the olive tree and along with it Athena as their patron, for the olive tree brought wood, oil and food ...
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  | 20 drachmas - Nymph on a horse Nymphs, in Greek and Roman mythology, were lesser divinities or spirits of nature, dwelling in groves and fountains, forests, meadows and streams ...
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  | 20 drachmas - Nymph on a horse Nymphs, in Greek and Roman mythology, were lesser divinities or spirits of nature, dwelling in groves and fountains, forests, meadows and streams ...
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The size of the images above are related to the diameter of the coins they represent.
