Greece Small Hermes Head, 20 Lepta, Athens Printing

Greece · 1886 · 20 Lepta

This definitive stamp features a right-facing profile of Hermes, the messenger god of Greek mythology, wearing his winged petasos (hat). The design is enclosed in a solid color background with a simple frame, with the denomination '20' in the lower corners and 'ΛΕΠΤΑ' (Lepta) at the bottom. This issue is known as the 'Small Hermes Head' to distinguish it from the earlier, larger designs of the 1860s and 70s.

Issued during the reign of King George I, the Small Hermes Head series was the primary postage stamp design in Greece from the mid-1880s until the turn of the 20th century. These stamps were printed in Athens, unlike many earlier issues printed in Paris, marking a shift in national production.