Object ID
2014.1.51
Object Name
Coin
Date Created
1964
Material
Silver
Object Entities
Constantine, (is related to)
Maria, Anna (is related to)
Object Description
Greek silver coin:
Obverse: "Konstantinos and AnnaMaria, Rulers of Greece" written in greek characters surrounding the profile bust of the ruling couple
Reverse: a double headed eagle topped with a crown surrounded by the date:1964, and 30 DP
Origin
He succeeded his father Paul in March 1964, being styled His Majesty Constantine II, King of the Hellenes. Although the accession of the young monarch was initially regarded auspiciously, his reign soon became controversial: Constantine's involvement in the Apostasia of July 1965 created unrest among sections of the population and aggravated the ongoing political instability that culminated in the Colonels' Coup of 21 April 1967

The coup was successful, leaving Constantine, as head of state, little room to manoeuvre as he had no loyal military forces to rely on. As a result, he reluctantly agreed to inaugurate the putschist government on the condition that it be made up largely of civilian ministers. On 13 December 1967, he was forced to flee the country, following an abortive counter-coup against the junta. He remained the head of state in exile until 1 June 1973, when the junta abolished the monarchy.

This abolition was confirmed after the fall of the junta by a plebiscite on 8 December 1974, which established the Third Hellenic Republic. Constantine, who was not allowed to return to Greece to campaign, accepted the results of the plebiscite.
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Citation
Coin, 1964, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/10336. Accessed 04/23/24.