Small Hermes head

40 lepta, 1886 Belgium printing, unperforated

Small Hermes heads is the name used by philatelists to describe the second issue of Greek stamps, issued in 1886-1888 and used until 1901.

The first three denominations (25 lepta, 50 lepta and 1 drachma) were issued on April 1. The remaining denominations (1 lepton, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 40 lepta) were issued on February 1, 1888, replacing the large Hermes head stamps. Like their predecessors, they depicted Hermes in profile, but with a smaller head and a rounder helmet. The design was by Henri Hendrickx (1817–1894) and it was engraved by Albert Doms, Atelier de Timbre, Belgium.

The first batch was printed in Malines, Belgium followed by numerous reprints in Athens, until 1900. The 50 lepta stamp was not reprinted. The stamps were produced using the gravure method, using printing plates of 300 stamps in 6 groups of 50 stamps. Initially the sheets were imperforate. Perforated versions, initially 13½ and later 11½, became available in 1891.

Colours and other characteristics

20 lepta, 1889 Athens printing, with perforation 13½

1900 Overprints

In September 1900 some of the small Hermes head stamps (blue 25 lepta and violet 40 lepta) were surcharged with different values (20 lepta, 1 drachma and 2 drachmae) due to the delay in printing the new Flying Mercury issue. Also due to the depreciation of the drachma, stamps were surcharged with new values and A M (value in gold, see article Postage stamps and postal history of Greece for details). The overprinted stamps were issued imperforate and with perforations 13½ and 11½.

See also

Further reading

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