Currently, there's a blackhole of gap between ancient to modern economies. Today, stock markets, shares, currency exchanges and other Wall Street definitions swamp the news.
According to American Scientist, most ancient economies were barter systems or based on precious commodities like gold, silver, and electrum. Standardized forms of money, or coins, came out as a response to the need to simplify trade, thereby establishing a more stable and efficient means of transaction.
In comparison to current world economy, ancient economies were based on tangible assets-mostly in the form of coins made of metals. These coins, in question, were used in transactions, compared to today's economies functioning on advanced financial systems and digital currencies.
Paviek found that the value of coins depended on the intrinsic value of the metal applied, while their purchasing power was related to the availability of resources and the local economic conditions.
In this list, we're going back thousands of years ago to find out more on top 5 world's oldest coins to track how their values change with time.
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1. Lydian Lion
The Lydian Lion is the earliest known coins, made and produced about 610-600 BCE in Lydia or modern-day Western Turkey. According to India Times, this world's oldest coin is made up of rare natural mix alloy of gold and silver, which is called as 'electrcum.'
In ancient Lydia, this coin was used for everyday transactions and has been found in many archaeological findings within Turkey and outside the region. The state of the preservation of these coins is pretty varied, from much-worn to perfectly preserved pieces of money.
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2. Hemiobol from Ionia
Minted about 600-500 BCE in, this Ionian Hemiobol was created in Cyme, Ionia, which is also in modern-day Turkey.
Oldest.org shared that it's made of silver and was used for smaller transactions like buying food or minor goods. These have been found in Cyme and other city-states of the Ionian region.
Nowadays, the Ionian Hemiobols sell within a range of several hundred to some thousand dollars on the market, depending upon their state of preservation, their rarity, etc.
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3. Aegina Sea Turtle
The Aegina Sea Turtle coin was minted around 550 BCE in Aegina, Greece, in silver.
Oldest.org learned that it made trade possible and could buy a range of commodities from grains to textiles in the ancient Mediterranean.
A number of finds of this coin have been found at various archaeological sites around the Mediterranean, more so in all areas influenced by Aegina's trade. Many examples of this world's oldest coin survive in near-perfect condition, while others age more.
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4. Persian Daric
The Persian Daric was created and produced between 520-480 BCE in the Achaemenid Persian Empire of Western Asia and is gold in composition. India Times stated that this was a high-value currency for major transactions, such as large purchases and trade deals, across the Persian Empire.
Their value can range from several thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the condition of the coin and under what historic context it once was used, considering the importance of transactions it has been used before.
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5. Swiss 10-Centimes Coin
While not an ancient coin, this Swiss 10-centimes coin, first minted in 1879, is a notable example of long-standing currency.
According to Guiness World Records, it originated from Switzerland and is composed of copper-nickel. Back in the day, it can purchase a piece of bread or other small goods.
Today, this is the only world's oldest coin that is still in use and has remained within the Swiss Franc currency system and a legal tender in Switzerland. Since its minting in 1879, this Swiss 10-centime coin has never been changed as far as design, size, or composition is concerned.
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