Drachma
Drachma, silver coin of ancient Greece, dating from about the mid-6th century bc, and the former monetary unit of modern Greece. The drachma was one of the world’s earliest coins. Its name derives from the Greek verb meaning “to grasp,” and its original value was equivalent to that of a handful of arrows.
Where were Greek coins first minted?
island of Aegina
Some of the first silver coins were minted on the island of Aegina. The people of Aegina were famous as merchants and seafarers. They traded with the Ionians and found their coins made trading really simple and decided to make their own coins.
When was the coin first invented?
around 600 B.C.
The world’s first coins appeared around 600 B.C., jingling around in the pockets of the Lydians, a kingdom tied to ancient Greece and located in modern-day Turkey. They featured the stylized head of a lion and were made of electrum, an alloy of gold and silver.
Did Greeks carry coins in their mouths?
Usually Greeks carried coins in their mouths since their clothing lacked pockets. When someone died they were buried with a couple of coins in their mouth to pay the ferryman Charon their passage across the river Styx to the underworld.
Where did the name of the first Greek coin come from?
The word derives quite logically from the Greek verb dratto – to grasp. Thus drachma in old Greek really means “the graspable” (or a handful). The tetradrachm, with the owl’s head stamped on it, was the first great trade coin in the world circulating from 510 to 38 BC. The owl was the attribute of the city goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
What was on the reverse of Ancient Greek coins?
Archaic coin of Athens with effigy of Athena on the obverse, and olive sprig, owl and ΑΘΕ, initials of “Athens” on the reverse. The history of ancient Greek coinage can be divided (along with most other Greek art forms) into four periods, the Archaic, the Classical, the Hellenistic and the Roman.
When was the first coin made in the world?
BBC History Revealed explores the early history of coins The very earliest coins were pieces of precious metal that were stamped with a design to guarantee their purity and weight. It is thought that the first coins first appeared in the mid 500s BC in Asia Minor.
When was the first electrum coin found in Greece?
The earliest known electrum coins, Lydian and East Greek coins found under the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, are currently dated to between 625 and 600 BC).
