Greece Large Hermes Head

Greece · 1861 · 1 Lepton

This stamp is part of the first series issued by Greece, known as the Large Hermes Heads. The design features a profile of the Greek god Hermes, modeled after a medal by the French engraver Albert Désiré Barre. The series is renowned for its classical beauty and the complexity of its printings, which occurred in Paris and later Athens.

Issued in 1861, these were the first stamps of the modern Greek state, which had gained independence from the Ottoman Empire decades earlier. The choice of Hermes, the messenger god, symbolized communication and the nation's classical heritage.