Greece's first postal service was founded in 1828, at the time of Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. This initial service continued mail delivery and, later, the issuing of postage stamps until 1970. It was then succeeded by the Hellenic Post S.A. (abbreviated ΕΛΤΑ), which remains Greece's official postal provider. The first Greek stamps (known as "Large Hermes heads") were issued in 1861; by then, the postal service had expanded to operate 97 branches.Athens Postal & Philatelic Museum. Until 1966, with the exception of a set issued in 1927, all Greek stamps were simply inscribed ΕΛΛΑΣ (Hellas, the country's Greek name). From 1966 to 1982, the inscription was modified to include both the Greek and Latin versions: ΕΛΛΑΣ-HELLAS. Beginning in 1982, ΕΛΛΑΣ was replaced with ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ (Hellenic Republic); this inscription is still being used on Greek stamps. It was also used on the 1927 set referred to earlier.
In 1875, Greece was among the founding members of the General Postal Union (renamed the Universal Postal Union in 1878).Linn's, p. 142.
Greece's territory and population was greatly expanded by the 1912-1913 Balkan Wars; it acquired some additional territory during World War I. This led to the issuing of several sets of occupation stamps, which consisted of both existing stamp issues with overprints and newly printed issues. In addition to these, some of the so-called "New Territories", notably the islands of Ikaria and Samos, issued their own stamps prior to becoming part of Greece.
Beginning with the Olympic issue of 1896, Greece has issued a number of commemorative stamps. Their subjects have included Greek history, art, mythology and wildlife.
Classic period (1859–1902) Ionian Islands (1859–1864) The first Greek-inscribed stamps were not issued by Greece proper, but by the nearby Ionian Islands. Under British rule from 1815 to 1864, this island group was known as the United States of the Ionian Islands. A set of three stamps was issued on 15 May 1859. Printed by Perkins, Bacon & Co. of London and inscribed ΙΟΝΙΚΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΟΣ (Ionian State), they depicted a profile of Queen Victoria. All were imperforate and bore no face value, this being indicated by their colors; orange ( penny), blue (1 penny) and lake (2 pence). These stamps became invalid after the Ionian Islands were ceded to Greece on 28 June 1864.Rossiter, pp. 123–124.
Large Hermes heads (1861–1888)
The first stamps of Greece were the so-called "Large Hermes heads", depicting a profile of the Greek messenger god Hermes in a frame strongly resembling that used for contemporary stamps of France. The basic design was by the French engraver Albert Désiré Barre and the first batch was printed in Paris by Ernst Meyer. The first set was issued on 1 October 1861. It consisted of seven denominations (1 lepton, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 lepta). In November 1861 the printing plates were transferred to Athens and subsequent printings made there. The plates continued in use into the mid-1880s, resulting in a number of varieties due to plates becoming worn and then cleaned, as well as the printing of the stamps on several kinds of paper. Most types were also printed with control numbers on the back, and all were imperforate. Additional denominations (30 and 60 lepta) were introduced in 1876, to comply with the General Postal Union's international letter rates (30 lepta for basic, 60 for registered letters).Hellas catalogue, vol. 1, p. 3.
Postage due stamps (1875–1902) The first postage due stamps of Greece were issued in 1875. The first batch was printed in Vienna, as were further releases in 1876 and 1890-1893. Green to yellow-green in color, with numerals declaring each stamp's value along with the inscription ειοπρακτέον(-α) (postage due(s)) inside a central circle, these stamps are known as "rologakia" (little clocks). The first two sets consisted of twelve values; 1 lepton, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 70, 80 and 90 lepta, 1 drachma and 2 drachmae. The third contained only the 1 lepton, 2, 5, 40 and 60 lepta.Hellas 1, pp. 491–494. The stamps were issued with a variety of perforations: 9, , 10, and compound.
A second design, with its inscription contained in a scroll pattern in place of the circle, was issued in 1902. Known as the London issue, it was printed by Perkins, Bacon & Co., with engraving by the Johnstonia Engraving Company. These stamps had perforations of . In place of the earlier issues' 60, 70, 80 and 90 lepta values, the London issue introduced new denominations of 3, 25, 30 and 50 lepta; it also dropped the 2 drachmae value. With only minor changes, this design has been used on all Greek postage due stamps since.
Small Hermes heads (1886–1900)
In 1883, Greece's postal service reduced its international letter rates to 25 and 50 lepta (for basic and registered letters respectively). This, as well as the need for a new 1 drachma value to cover parcel post services, led to the issue of a new set of stamps.Karamitsos Auction 125, p. 1. This set, the "Small Hermes heads", first appeared in 1886. The first batch was printed in Malines, Belgium followed by numerous reprints in Athens until 1900. Like their predecessors, they depicted Hermes in profile, but with a smaller head and a rounder helmet. Initially the sheets were imperforate. Perforated versions, initially and later , became available in 1891. The denominations were 1 lepton, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 40, and 50 lepta and 1 drachma.
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.
1896 Olympic issue
Greece's first commemorative stamps were issued in 1896 for the 1896 Summer Olympics, the first Olympic games in modern times. The series consisted of twelve values (1 lepton, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 40 and 60 lepta, 1 drachma and 2, 5 and 10 drachmae). There were eight different designs, by Professor I. Svoronos, which included famous sports-related images from ancient Greece, such as a chariot race and Myron's Discobolus. The stamps were designed by Swiss artist A. Guilleron, the steel dies were created by the French engraver Louis-Eugène Mouchon and printing took place at the National Printing Office of France. The name E. MOUCHON appears at the bottom side of each stamp. The stamps were delivered in perforated sheets ( × 14). They were at first meant to be sold only during the Games, but their circulation period was extended; first to March 1897, then until they were sold out.Hellas 1, p. 59. The 1896 Olympics stamps, of which the 5 and 10 drachmae denominations are relatively rare, remain popular with collectors of topical stamps relating to sports and Olympic games.
A M overprints (1900–1901) In 1900 and 1901, a variety of existing Greek stamps (Large Hermes heads, Small Hermes heads and 1896 Olympics) were surcharged in black or red with new values and also with the letters "A M", standing for the Greek words Αξία Μεταλλική ("Axia Metalliki" or "value in (gold) metal"), meaning that the face values were based on the gold standard of the Latin Monetary Union. These stamps were sold at the post offices at a price higher than the face value, due to the depreciation of the drachma. The "A M" stamps were mainly used for international parcel post and postal money orders, although they are sometimes found on normal letter covers. In 1902 these stamps were withdrawn and replaced with the "A M" series.
Early 20th century (1901–1911) Flying Mercury and A M issues (1901–1902)
In 1901, a new series of definitive stamps was issued, replacing the small Hermes heads and the overprints of 1900. The new stamps depicted Giovanni da Bologna's statue of Hermes/Mercury (c. 1564). The series included fourteen denominations in three different designs: 1 lepton, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 lepta, 1 drachma and 2, 3 and 5 drachmae. The high values of this series are notable for being printed in metallic colors; bronze (2d), silver (3d), and gold (5d). The stamps were printed on two qualities of paper (thick and thin) with watermark "ET" and crown. The sheets were delivered with perforation for the low values and for the high values, although small quantities were delivered with different perforations.
In 1902 an additional series of five stamps was issued, depicting the head of the same statue. These stamps were in values of gold currency and inscribed "A M" for Αξία Μεταλλική ("Axia Metalliki" or "value in metal"). They replaced the provisional "A M" overprints of 1900-1901 for international parcel post and money orders. The series was printed by Perkins, Bacon & Co. on thick paper, watermarked with "ET" and crown and delivered with perforation . These stamps were also used briefly as revenue stamps in 1913.
The 1901–1902 issues remained in regular use until 1911.
1906 Olympic issue Commemorative issue for the 1906 Intercalated Games. This set of stamps was printed by Perkins, Bacon & Co. and issued on 25 March 1906. It consisted of fourteen denominations (1 lepton, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 lepta, 1 drachma and 2, 3 and 5 drachmae). Special commemorative cancellations were used during the Games at Zappeion (ΖΑΠΠΕΙΟΝ), Stadium (ΣΤΑΔΙΟΝ) and Acropolis (ΑΚΡΟΠΟΛΙΣ) provisional post offices. The 1906 Olympics stamps were never withdrawn and can be found with postmarks dated until 1910. They were also overprinted for use as revenue stamps.
1911 Engraved issue In 1911, a new series of definitive stamps was issued to replace the Flying Mercury set. There were four different designs, by I. Svoronos (who had designed the 1896 Olympic issue) and G. Jakovides, which depicted Hermes and the rainbow goddess Iris. The set consisted of sixteen values (1 lepton, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 lepta, 1 drachma and 2, 3, 5, 10 and 25 drachmae). It would become known as the "Engraved issue". The plates were engraved by Thomas McDonald (UK) and printing was done by the firm Gerasimos Aspiotis Bros. of Corfu.Hellas 1, pp. 87–88. The sheets were delivered on unwatermarked paper with perforation .
The 3, 5 and 10 drachmae stamps from this set were re-issued in 1921 with slightly altered dimensions, measuring × mm.; the original issue measured × mm.
Territorial expansion (1912–1923)
General issue ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΣΙΣ (1912–1913)
Greece's borders were greatly expanded by the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913 as it occupied Macedonia including the city of Thessaloniki, parts of Epirus and Thrace and various Aegean islands, as well as formally annexing Crete. Until these so-called "New Territories" were formally incorporated into Greece, they were not permitted to use regular Greek stamps. In order to cover postal needs in these areas, Greece's government ordered existing stamps to be overprinted with ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΣΙΣ (Hellenic Administration) until a planned 1912 issue became available. A special overprint, ΛΗΜΝΟΣ, was also ordered for use on the island of Lemnos, which was occupied in October 1912. These overprints, in three different colors (black, red and carmine), were applied to the 1911 "Engraved" definitives, the 20 lepta Flying Mercury stamp, the 1902 postage due stamps and some of the 1913 "Lithographic" definitives. This issue went through several printings, initially by Aspiotis Bros. and later by the Aquarone printing house of Thessaloniki. The overprints normally read from the bottom of the stamp to the top; due to misplacement of sheets in the printing press, some were released with the overprint reading from top to bottom.Hellas 1, pp. 94, 98.
A variation of this overprint, consisting of the letters "Ε.*Δ" in red, was employed on the island of Chios in 1913. This was applied locally to a quantity of 25 lepta stamps from the ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΣΙΣ issue which were mistakenly delivered without the overprint.
Campaign issue and Souda Bay issue (1913)