Cretan State: Coins Issued and Used

The Cretan State (Greek: Κρητική Πολιτεία, Kritiki Politia; Ottoman Turkish: كريد دولتى‎, Girit Devleti), was established in 1898. The country issued its own Drachma coinage based on the Greek Drachma. Coins were only issued in 1900 and 1901 (minted at the Paris Mint). They feature symbols of the Kingdom of Greece, reflecting the desire of Crete to unite with Greece, which happened de facto in 1908 and de jure in 1913.

Prince George of Greece was appointed as the first High Commissioner (representative of the Great Powers) in 1898 and was replaced as such in 1906. Even though he was not a monarch or even head of state, he did have his effigy and legend on some of the coins.

The Bank of Crete (Τράπεζα Κρήτης, Banque du Cretè) was established in 1898 and received the exclusive privilege, for thirty years, of issuing banknotes in the island of Crete. This right was retained after the unification of Crete with the mainland. The National Bank of Greece wholly acquired, and subsumed the Bank of Crete in 1919. Cretan banknotes were therefore issued from 1901 through to 1917 - some years after the state no longer existed.