The oldest known coins are widely considered to be the Lydian staters , minted in the ancient kingdom of Lydia (located in present-day Turkey) around 600 BCE.
These early coins were made of electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver found in the Pactolus River. The Lydian staters represented a significant shift from the barter system to a standardized form of currency.
Early Lydian coins featured a lion’s head, the emblem of the Lydian kings, on one side, and a simple incuse punch on the other. This punch was created when the coin blank was hammered onto a die. The standardization of the coins’ weight and design was introduced by King Alyattes.
However , it’s important to note that the earliest coins may not have had a design. The Lydian stater is considered the first coin with the recognizable lion and bull design.
King Croesus, known for his immense wealth, is credited with refining and expanding the use of coinage, introducing coins of pure gold and silver to restore the credibility of Lydian coins. His gold staters, dating around 560-540 BCE, feature a lion and a bull facing each other.
Other ancient coins include:
- Aegina Turtle: Minted around 550 BCE in Greece, depicting a sea turtle.
- Ying Yuan: The oldest known gold coin from ancient China, dating around 500 BCE.
- Persian Daric: Introduced around 522 BCE by Darius I, featuring a kneeling archer.
What is the rarest 1 coin?
Thanks for asking. 2011 Edinburgh £1. Topping the list as the rarest £1 coin in circulation, the 2011 Edinburgh £1 was part of a series celebrating the UK’s capital cities.