page_title: Hermes (Greek stamp)
section_title: The printings on the so-called "inferior quality papers" (1871 & 1872)
hierarchical_section_title: Hermes (Greek stamp) / The "large Hermes head" (1860–1901) / The Athens printings (November 1861 to 1882) / The printings on the so-called "inferior quality papers" (1871 & 1872)
caption_attribution_description: English: Solférino (Williams n° VII - 3)
context_page_description: The Greek god Hermes, messenger of the Gods in the Greek mythology, is the representation chosen, in 1860, by the Kingdom of Greece to illustrate its first postal stamps.
  The first type, the "large Hermes head", was issued in October 1861, and stayed in circulation up to 1886, it was then replaced by the second type, the "small Hermes head".
  The "large Hermes head" stamps, have been reissued, overprinted, in 1900 and 1901 in order to mitigate the delay of shipment of the stamps of the third type, the "flying Hermes" by the British printer J. P. Segg & C°.
  In 1902, a fourth type showing Hermes effigy was issued for international "metal payment".
  Finally, in 1912, a fifth type showing various Hermes representations was issued and stayed in circulation up to 1926.
  Starting early 1920s, the subjects used to illustrate the Greek postal stamps are becoming diversified and let down the Hermes effigy.
context_section_description: From the beginning of the 1870s years, the supply of the papers from France has been stopped due to the Franco-Prussian war. The Greek mint started to use papers from unknown provenance of relative good quality but with half-transparent and regular "clouds" visible by transparency on the light.
  The usage of the "blanchet" was substituted to the hard printing method of the previous issue and will continue to be used for all the following issues up to the end of the printings, in 1882.
  The shadow lines of the cheek and the nape of the neck of the Hermes head are long and uniform but thicker than on the previous issues.
  The "control numbers" of this issue are clear, well printed and darker than the previous issues, but they are also heavier due to the usage of the same printing plate since ten years.
  The most famous stamp of the "large Hermes head" collection is a variety of this issue: this is the 40 lepta of the same shade as the "control numbers" of the typical stamp of this same value.
  A unique sheet has been printed and only 13 items have survived, as far as we know today (Yvert n° 22Ba, Karamitsos n° 36a).
  One names it the "Solferino" in reference to the famous bloody battle of 1859, eponym, between the Franco-Serb troupes and the Austrian army.
caption: 40 lepta "Solférino" of the so-called "inferior quality papers" printings
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