Object ID
2014.1.26
Object Name
Coin
Date Created
1846
Material
bronze
Object Description
Greek Bronze coin:
Obverse: a rectengular seal with small lines in it and is topped with a crown. The rest of the surface is left smooth bronze
Reverse:10 "LEPTA" written in the Greek alphabet surrounded with a wreath of dense leaves
Origin
The Second National Assembly of the Hellenes took place in Athens (1863 - 1864) and dealt both with the election of a new sovereign as well as with the drafting of a new Constitution, thereby implementing the transition from constitutional monarchy to a Crowned Democracy.

The Constitution of 1864 was drafted following the models of the Constitutions of Belgium of 1831 and of Denmark of 1849, and established in clear terms the principle of popular sovereignty, since the only legislative body with reversionary powers was now the Parliament. Furthermore, article 31 reiterated that all the powers stemmed from the Nation and were to be exercised as provided by the Constitution, while article 44 established the principle of accountability, taking into consideration that the King only possessed the powers that were bestowed on him by the Constitution and by the laws applying the same.
Rights and Reproduction
The content on this site is made available for research and education purposes only. The use of these materials may be restricted by law or the donor.

Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.

For questions on image rights and reproduction, please contact nhmcollections@hellenicmuseum.org
Citation
Coin, 1846, National Hellenic Museum, https://hellenic.whirlihost.com/Detail/objects/10279. Accessed 04/27/24.