Bidspirit auction | Greece 1857 National Bank of

Greece 1857 National Bank of Greece – Athens Bill of Exchange – to Sina Brothers, Vienna - Extraordinary and early bill of exchange issued by the National Bank of Greece (Εθνική Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος), dated November 23, 1857 in Athens, and made payable to the famous Sina Brothers (Sina Frères) in Vienna, one of the most influential banking families in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and benefactors of modern Greece. 📜 Document Highlights: Issuer: National Bank of Greece Location: Athens, 1857 Value: 1,750 Drachmas (δραχμές) Bilingual structure: primarily French with Greek inscriptionsl; Signed by the members of the Managing Counsel of the National Bank   Route: Athens → Trieste → Vienna Features multiple stamps: Trieste agent cancellation, Greek and Austrian validation marks; Beautiful vignette of Athena and classical ruins alongside a lion and the Greek arms 🗂 Condition: Well-preserved considering age; some expected horizontal and vertical folds Light staining on upper edge, excellent visual clarity of inks, seals, and handwriting Strong aesthetic appeal with fine engraving detail 🏛 An extremely scarce piece of pre-1870 Greek financial history, combining philhellenic symbolism, Austro-Greek banking connections, and early international trade documentation. Perfect for collectors of: Greek banking ephemera European bills of exchange Sina family / Philhellenism Historic Trieste-Vienna trade routes