€2 BU & PIN “Union of the Ionian Islands, 2014” Official commemorative coin of 2 euros, weighing 8.5 grams, with a diameter of 25.75mm, and in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) quality, issued by the Bank of Greece in 2014 and dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Union of the Ionian Islands with Greece (1864-2014). The inner part of the coin features a seven-pointed star where the phrase in Greek reads: “150 YEARS SINCE THE UNION OF THE IONIAN ISLANDS WITH GREECE 1864-2014”, the issuing country’s name, “HELLENIC REPUBLIC”, and the mint mark of the Greek state. In the spaces between the star’s rays, the symbols of the Ionian Islands are displayed. The entire design is surrounded by a decorative, stylized wave pattern.
The case includes a pin with the respected flag of that era.
The Ionian Islands are a cluster of seven islands. Since 1204, the Republic of Venice controlled Corfu, and gradually all the Ionian Islands came under Venetian rule. In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte occupied Venice, and as a result of the Treaty of Campo Formio, the islanders found themselves under French rule. In 1809, the British defeated the French fleet at Zakynthos (October 2, 1809) and captured Kefalonia, Kythira, Zakynthos, and Lefkada by 1810. With Greek independence in 1830, the islanders began to resent foreign rule. In 1862, Britain decided to transfer the islands to Greece, as a gesture of support intended to bolster the popularity of the new king. On May 2, 1864, the British departed and the islands became three provinces of the Kingdom of Greece, with the condition that Britain retain the use of the port of Corfu.
