Greece Lavrio Lavrion Metallurgical Company 1 Drachma 1873 - 1930 (ND) Token

3.92 g., 25 mm.; 1 Drachma Lavrio has been known for its abundance in metal ores for thousands of years. The Athenians exploited the silver and lead ores of the area in the late 6th century up until the end of the Greek classical age. The “Lavrion Metallurgical Company” was formed in 1873 after a dispute between the Hellenic state and the Italian mining operator J.B. Serpieri who decided to start mining in the area in 1863. It supported over 10,000 workers at its peak and developments in the area were at the forefront of the industrialisation of Greece. In the 1930’s the Hellenic government decided to sell the installations at Lavrio following a price drop in lead during the 1890s and the end of World War I which crippled the economy.; XF+.