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    Coinage in Ancient Greece by The Nickle

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    chrys
    Coinage originated in Lydia in the 7th century BCE, with the earliest coins made from electrum. Lydian coins featured designs like lions and geometric patterns. Greek city-states then began producing their own coins in the 6th century BCE to promote civic identity and trade. Coins featured symbols of local economies, myths, and gods. Athens' coins prominently featured the owl of Athena as the city's symbol. By the 5th century BCE, Greek coins had standardized weights, images on both sides, and inscriptions identifying their city of origin. Coinage played a key role in Greek commerce and politics during the Classical period.

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    Coinage in Ancient Greece by The Nickle

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    chrys
    53 views56 pages
    Coinage originated in Lydia in the 7th century BCE, with the earliest coins made from electrum. Lydian coins featured designs like lions and geometric patterns. Greek city-states then began producing their own coins in the 6th century BCE to promote civic identity and trade. Coins featured symbols of local economies, myths, and gods. Athens' coins prominently featured the owl of Athena as the city's symbol. By the 5th century BCE, Greek coins had standardized weights, images on both sides, and inscriptions identifying their city of origin. Coinage played a key role in Greek commerce and politics during the Classical period.

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    Coinage in Ancient Greece by the Nickle

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    Coinage originated in Lydia in the 7th century BCE, with the earliest coins made from electrum. Lydian coins featured designs like lions and geometric patterns. Greek city-states then began producing their own coins in the 6th century BCE to promote civic identity and trade. Coins featured symbols of local economies, myths, and gods. Athens' coins prominently featured the owl of Athena as the city's symbol. By the 5th century BCE, Greek coins had standardized weights, images on both sides, and inscriptions identifying their city of origin. Coinage played a key role in Greek commerce and politics during the Classical period.

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    Download as pdf or txt
    53 views56 pages

    Coinage in Ancient Greece by The Nickle

    Uploaded by

    chrys
    Coinage originated in Lydia in the 7th century BCE, with the earliest coins made from electrum. Lydian coins featured designs like lions and geometric patterns. Greek city-states then began producing their own coins in the 6th century BCE to promote civic identity and trade. Coins featured symbols of local economies, myths, and gods. Athens' coins prominently featured the owl of Athena as the city's symbol. By the 5th century BCE, Greek coins had standardized weights, images on both sides, and inscriptions identifying their city of origin. Coinage played a key role in Greek commerce and politics during the Classical period.

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    of 56

    Coinage in Ancient Greece

    Marina Fischer
    The Nickle Coin Collection is one of the most
    important numismatic collections in Canada.

    The large founding donation was presented to


    the University of Calgary in 1980 by Carl O.
    Nickle, and has since been enlarged through
    the generosity of The Nickle Family
    Foundation and others.

    The collection now consists of over 20,000


    items, primarily ancient Greek, Roman and
    Byzantine coins, but also collections of paper
    money, ethnographic token money, European
    coins from the medieval to modern periods,
    and medals of the 18th and 19th century.
    Carl O. Nickle

    nickle.ucalgary.ca
    Overview

    1. World’s first coins from Lydia


    2. Archaic coinage ca. 600-480 BCE
    3. Classical coinage ca. 480-323 BCE
    4. Hellenistic coinage ca. 323-30 BCE
    Numismatics is the study or collection of currency including coins, tokens,
    paper money, and related objects.

    Numismatics is derived from the French adjective numismatique, meaning "of


    coins", which was derived from the Greek Nomisma (νόμισμα), meaning ‘current
    coin’. It was first used as a term in 1829 in the English language to describe the
    field of study of coins.

    ©Mike Markowitz
    ©Mike Markowitz
    Lydian Coinage

    World’s First Coins


    7th century BCE
    aclassicaday.blogspot.ca
    Proto-Coins

    traveltoeat.com

    Striated Type, c. 650 - 600 BCE, electrum, one-sixth Stater, 2.47 gm,
    obverse flattened striated surface; reverse two rough incuse punches

    The earliest coins were struck from electrum, a natural alloy of gold
    and silver found as nuggets in the rivers and streams of Lydia and Ionia.

    This striated type is believed to be the earliest coin and is sometimes


    described as a proto-coin.

    The lines on the obverse are thought to represent flowing water.


    Lydian Lion Coins

    forumancientcoins.com
    Lydia. Electrum 1/3 stater, ca. 650 BCE
    Obverse: Head of a roaring lion right, knob with multiple rays on forehead

    These coins retained the general nugget shape and two reverse
    incuse punch marks of the proto-coins.
    Minting of Coins

    www.uq.edu.au
    www.littletoncoin.com

    Ancient coins were struck using hand-held dies and hammers


    Byzantine die

    Islamic die

    Greek Owl die


    ©wikipedia
    Coins of King Croesus

    NG1990.1.136
    Silver stater
    King Croesus
    ca. 561-546 BCE
    Sardis, Lydia
    Bi-metallic coinage Diameter: 13.5mm
    First silver and gold coins Weight: 5.35g
    www.cngcoins.com

    LYDIA. Croesus. Ca. 561-546 BCE. AV Stater (16mm, 10.76 g). Sardis mint. Confronted
    foreparts of lion, with sun on forehead, and bull / Two incuse squares.

    Extremely rare, one of eleven known examples of this issue.


    First Greek Coins in Ionia

    • During the 6th century BCE, coinage soon spread from


    Lydia to the Greek cities of coastal Asia Minor.

    • From there it reached the Greeks of the islands and the


    mainland.
    NG1992.3.4 Ob: lion’s paw
    Electrum 1/96 stater Rv: punch mark
    Ionia
    6th century BCE
    Diameter: 3mm Electrum coins lasted about 50 years
    Weight: 0.12g
    • The coinage then spread throughout the Mediterranean
    with cities developing their own, unique, devices on their
    coins as a badge of civic pride.

    • The devices on these coins quickly came to identify their


    source cities or kingdoms.

    • Thus the coins served not only as a medium of exchange,


    but also as a means of promotion or propaganda.
    Table of Denominations Based on the Stater
    14.1 grams

    0.15 grams

    artantiquities.wordpress.com
    ©wikipedia
    Greek World : Spreading of Coinage

    www.greek-islands.us
    tjbuggey.ancients.info
    Coins and the Cities

    Greek coins were used to emphasize the


    independence and individuality
    of their city-states.
    5 Types of Iconography

    1. City badges (emblems)

    ARCHAIC 2. Puns
    CLASSICAL
    3. Economy & Produce

    4. Mythological iconography (gods, goddesses,


    heroes and their attributes)

    5. Portraiture HELLENISTIC
    Archaic Coinage

    Age of Symbolism
    ca.600-480 BCE
    Coins of Aegina

    NG1993.8.1 http://educators.mfa.org

    Silver stater (didrachm) Ob: sea turtle


    Aegina Rv: deep windmill incuse (8 compartments)
    ca. 510-485 BCE Aegina’s turtles were the first coins produced in Europe, and
    Diameter: 20mm first universally accepted, standardized currency, not intended
    Weight: 12.23g strictly for local use.
    The earliest Greek coins had no identifying inscriptions or "legends," and relied
    upon the types alone for identification.

    NG1992.2.11 Ob: sea turtle


    Silver obol Rv: deep windmill incuse (5 compartments)
    Aegina
    ca. 550-480 BCE
    10,000 coins annually for over 70 years
    Diameter: 6.5mm
    Weight: 0.84g
    Silver came from a mine of Siphonos, an island in the Aegean.
    NG1992.2.12 Ob: land tortoise
    Silver obol Rv: shallow windmill incuse (5 compartments)
    Aegina
    ca. 404-340 BCE
    Diameter: 8mm From Aegina, coinage spread rapidly
    Weight: 0.88g to Athens and Corinth.
    Turtle was not a sacred animal

    ©wikipedia
    imageinfo.co.uk

    “Courage and wisdom are overcome by Turtles”


    Classical Coinage

    Age of High
    Technique & Style
    ca.480-323 BCE
    1. City Badges (Emblems)

    NG1992.2.41 Ob: Boetian shield


    Silver hemidrachm Rv: kantharos, club, inscription
    Thebes
    ca. 379-371 BCE By the end of the 6th century BCE, most Greek coins had types
    Diameter: 13mm on both sides
    Weight: 2.49g
    Black-figured amphoras, 6th century BCE

    pinterest.com
    Legends (Inscriptions)

    • By the late 6th century BCE, as the number of poleis issuing coins
    grew and as the coins circulated ever further from their home
    territories, it became even more important to establish which
    coins came from which polis, and thus it became common
    practice to supply an abbreviation of the city's name.

    • The usual form of the name is the genitive plural, for example,
    "of the Athenians”. This practice highlights the communal
    character of the polis.

    • In contrast, during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, coins were


    issued in the name of kings or emperors.
    2. City Name Puns

    NG1992.2.105
    Silver didrachm Ob: Helios
    Rhodes Rv: ῥόδον – rose, inscription
    ca. 400-333 BCE
    Diameter: 20mm
    Weight: 6.43g
    Colossus of Rhodes by Frantisek Kupka (1906)

    ancient.eu
    3. Economy / Produce

    NG1990.1.66
    Silver stater Ob and Rv: barley ear
    Metapontum
    ca. 550-480 BCE
    Diameter: 23.5mm
    Weight: 7.8g
    4. Mythology:
    Gods, Goddesses, Monsters, Heroes & Attributes

    NG1990.1.146
    Silver stater Ob: Athena wearing a Corinthian helmet
    Corinth Rv: Pegasus (winged horse)
    ca. 338-300 BCE
    Diameter: 22mm
    Weight: 8.34g worcesterart.org
    NG1990.7.5
    Silver didrachm
    Populonia Ob: Gorgoneion - apotropaic , XX
    ca. 450-350 BCE Rv: caduceus
    Diameter: 22mm
    Weight: 8.45g
    bonhams.com
    Coins of Athens

    NG1990.1.57 Athenian Owls were thick, heavy, high-relief silver


    Silver tetradrachm coins.
    Athens
    ca. 490-430 BCE Owls were the first international coin.
    Diameter: 25mm
    Weight: 16.99g
    “Almond” Eyes and Archaic Smile
    oberlin.edu
    Woman
    Egypt
    ca. 1335 BCE

    oberlin.edu

    New York Kouros


    Archaic Period
    ca. 590 BCE Anavysos Kouros
    Archaic Period
    ca. 530 B.C.E.
    imgkid.com
    NG1990.1.58 Athena - patron goddess of Athens, goddess of
    Silver obol wisdom and ware fare, wearing Attic helmet
    Athens
    ca. 479-393 BCE Owl - Athena's attribute or symbol
    Diameter: 9mm
    Weight: 0.66g

    apisea.com
    The owl species depicted on Athenian Owls is the Athene Noctua, also
    called the Little Owl or Minerva Owl.

    6 to 8 inches tall and 2.5 to 4.5 ounces


    Range from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia

    athenianowlcoins.reidgold.com
    bird-ukraine.pp.ua
    NG1989.1.131 Ob: Athena, forward facing realistic eye
    Silver tetradrachm Rv: owl, no incuse square
    Athens TEST CUT
    ca. 330 BCE
    Intermediate or Hellenistic Style
    Diameter: 22mm
    Weight: 16.94g

    ©wikipedia
    Aphrodite of Knidos
    by Praxiteles
    ca. 350 BCE

    oneonta.edu

    Athena on coins becomes more human in


    response to changing attitudes towards
    representation of the human form in Greek art
    oneonta.edu
    Ob: Ornate helmet with 2 crests
    NG1990.1.61 Rv: owl, amphora, laurel wreath
    Silver tetradrachm
    Athens A drastic change in the fabric of the coins, as the
    “New Style” (under Roman rule) flans became broader and thinner, and the relief
    ca. 186-86 BCE much lower
    Diameter: 29mm
    Weight: 15.97g The features and proportions became more true
    to life than ever before.
    Hellenistic Coinage

    Age of Portraiture
    ca.323-30 BCE
    http://platos-academy.com

    NG1993.5.103 Ob: Herakles wearing a lion skin


    Silver tetradrachm Rv: Zeus
    Aradus under Macedonian rule
    ca. 336-323 BCE The most widely circulated coinage in
    Diameter: 26mm the ancient world – the Alexanders
    Weight: 16.97g
    Alexander’s Empire

    spchumanities.wordpress.com
    Portrait of Alexander the Great
    British Museum
    Marble
    2nd-1st century BCE
    Livius.org
    NG1989.1.124
    Silver tetradrachm
    King Philip III Arrhidaeus Modern forgery
    ca. 336-323 BCE
    Diameter: 15mm
    Weight: 3.76g
    NG1990.1.33 Ob: Elephant scalp, horns of Ammon, aegis
    Silver tetradrachm Rv: Athena Alkidemos, eagle on thunderbolt
    Alexandria
    Ptolemy I
    ca. 323-285 BCE
    Diameter: 30mm
    Weight: 14.99g
    wildwinds.com
    NG1990.1.47 Ob: Ptolemy I and Berenice I
    Gold octodrachm ΘΕΩΝ (= Theōn, “of the gods”)
    Alexandria
    Ptolemy II Rv: Ptolemy II and sister/wife Arsinoe II with diadems
    ca. 285-246 BCE ΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ (= Adelphōn, “of the siblings”)
    Diameter: 29mm
    Weight: 27.72g Emphasis on family and dynastic continuity
    NG1990.1.46
    Gold octodrachm Ob: Arsinoe II , stephane, veil
    Alexandria Rv: Double cornucopiae bound with
    ca. 285-246 BCE fillet, inscription ARSINOHS
    Diameter: 26.5mm FILADELFOU
    Weight: 27.87g

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