"The Lydian Lion": World's first coin

[dougdann]

Just thought you guys might like to read this.

Coinage, denoted by actually being attributed to a goverment for a value of exchange, that is considered to be the first coins ever struck is in present day Turkey.
Which holds a rich history: including, the ancient city of Byzantium. Later conquered by the Romans and in 333 AD became the capitol of the Roman Empire and renamed Constantinople. Known today as Istanbul.

There were other Roman mint cities in Turkey.

http://rg.ancients.info/lion/article.html
Reid Goldsborough is an expert in ancients and ancient counterfeiting.

Hope you like his article.

Thankyou,
Doug

Thanks a lot for posting that article. It got me looking at something I found quite a while ago. I thought I'd post it. I don't really know what it is, but the darned thing seems to be close to what they show.

[dougdann]

You found that detecting?
Where?

it's Gela,Sicily about 5th century BC.

Here's a link with more types like yours and some info.
Click on the images link to get all the images.

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greec...ly/gela/i.html


Congradulations on the nice coin.

Doug

[dougdann]

I may have to add this. After taking a better look and noticing the reverse.

1. It looks fake. Are those small holes in the reverse?

If so, and it looks like it, this is indeed a fake.
Appears to be cast modern fake.
Casting will create the holes that you see.

Ancient Greeks struck their coins.

The scratching on the reverse looks like an attempt to erase a name of possibly the forger and or a label indentifying it as a fake.



Doug

To the best of my eyesite there don't seem to be any holes in it. I do know the scrathes on it were from my sloppy digging when I found it. I got it here in western Pa., a couple years ago. Since it seems to be really old and out of place for around here I just figured it was junk. But even if it is a copy or junk it is still a find I won't forget for a long time.
Thanks for the replies.

[dougdann]

I was referring to what looks like black spots on the reverse.
Dirt or small pits.
Weight could also help determine.


Regardless, a great find and congradulations again.
Doug

[greg N.B.of P.A.]

Hello boobie and dougdan, nice oldies you both have there.Boobie did you find your coin within beaver county? I recently discovered that I found a piece of patriot jewlery right here in new brighton. I wish I could show it, but I dont have the means to do so. Its made of copper with the spanish seal and king carlos the 3rd inscription around it. Found an article with pictures on the lost treasure site. My item is in better condition than the one they have pictured. Its good to know we can still find old items locally.

greg N.B.of P.A. I did find it here in Beaver County. If you want me to scan it in for you just let me know and then you can post it wherever you want to. We do have a lot of history here in our county. We do need to get togeather here and find some treasures. I am going out Sunday morning for a while and do some detecting.

[Figleaf]

dougdann, there is no agreement on where the first coins were struck. Lydia is a candidate, but so is China, which IMHO has a beter claim.

Peter

[dougdann]

Hi,
And to a degree is still an opinion.
Those who think that this is the first coin base this partially on the definition of what a coin is. Identity of an issuing government authority and having a specific value.

Your definitely correct. China produced a means of exchange far early than these coins. As many people did locally and regionally. People used many items and metals for a long time before this for currency.


Facts on ancient coins change as information is discovered. Over time and as hoards are discovered. And there is a long way to go.

More than likely, there willl never be an agreement on this as information necessary cannot all be discovered and known.
Only based on what is known at this time.

Doug