Participation in the exhibition “The Order and the Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George in Corfu”

The Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection loaned 5 coins to the exhibition “The Order and the Palace of Saint Michael and Saint George in Corfu”. The coins were issued by the local government of the Ionian Islands and were in circulation when the Islands were under British rule:

• 2 bronze obols and 1 bronze diobol issued by the local government of the Ionian Islands in 1819. The obverse bears the legend “BRITANNIA” and depicts a personification of Britain sitting on a sphere, facing left. She holds a trident and an olive branch. The reverse depicts the winged lion of Saint Mark, walking to the left. The lion carries a Bible and 7 arrows in its mouth, one for each Ionian island.
• 2 30-cent coins issued by the local government of the Ionian Islands in 1851. The obverse bears the legend “BRITANNIA” and depicts a personification of Britain sitting on a sphere, facing right. She holds a trident and an olive branch. The reverse bears the legend “ΙΟΝΙΚΟΝ ΚΡΑΤΟΣ” (Ionian State), along with the coin denomination inside an olive wreath.

The Order and the palace

The exhibition was part of the celebrations for the 200-year anniversary of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, and the same anniversary since the construction of the Order’s palace on the island of Corfu.

The Order became a vital part of social life in the Ionian Islands. Today, its palace houses the Corfu Museum of Asian Art. It is, in itself, an important landmark in the urban fabric of the city of Corfu, and a point of reference for the island’s architectural heritage.

The Order and its palace are both linked to the history and government of the Ionian Islands in the 19th century. They also played their part in the political and cultural history of Corfu.

The highest honour of the British Empire

Receiving an award from the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is the highest honour of the British Empire for services outside the United Kingdom. The motto of the Order is ‘‘Auspicium Melioris Aevi’’, Latin for “better times are foretold”.

Bilingual exhibition catalogue

A bilingual catalogue in Greek and English was published to accompany the exhibition.