CRETE: George, of Greece, 1898-1906, AR 5 drachmai, 1901, KM-9, struck at the Paris Mint, light cleaning, Choice XF. The Cretan State was established in 1898, following the intervention by the Great Powers (United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia) on the island of Crete. In 1897, the Cretan Revolt led the Ottoman Empire to declare war on Greece, which led the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Russia to intervene on the grounds that the Ottoman Empire could no longer maintain control. It was the prelude to the island's final annexation to the Kingdom of Greece, which occurred de facto in 1908 and de jure in 1913 after the First Balkan War. Prince George of Greece and Denmark was the second son and child of George I of Greece and Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. He served from 1898 to 1906 as high commissioner of the Cretan State during its transition towards independence from Ottoman rule and union with Greece.

Estimate: USD 150 - 200