The document traces the origins and evolution of coins from ancient times to modern day. It begins with the origins of coins in Lydia in the 8th century BC as a way to simplify tax collection. The Greeks then spread the use of coins around the Mediterranean between the 7th-6th centuries BC, minting coins with symbols representing their polis. Coins then arrived in the Iberian Peninsula through colonization and trade, with the Romans introducing coins like the sestertius during their rule of Hispania. Islamic coins circulated during the rule of Al-Andalus from the 8th-15th centuries AD, before the Catholic Monarchs standardized Spanish coinage in 1497. This led to famous
2. When the productive activities diversify,
the work specializes and generates
surplus, we can say that we have the
ideal conditions for exchanging products.
Bartering lasted a long time, but when
commercial activities became bigger, it
wasn’t useful any more, so precious
metals started to be used. They were
accepted by different countries, easily
carried and long-lasting
TRADE WAS BORN
BARTERING WAS BORN
3. THE ORIGIN OF COINS
According to Herodotus, metal coins were first used in
Lydia in VIII B.C. Originally “drops of metal” of electrum
from river Pactolus. This happened because a Lydian king
wanted to simplify tax collection and storage.
King Croesus was the first in having gold and silver
coins and in adding pictures of his kingdom. The
lion was the symbol of the Lydian Royal house.
Grain of electrum
725 B.C.
Croeseid 558- 546 B.C.
4. THE ORIGINS OF COINS : GREECE
The Greeks spread the use of coin around the Mediterranean Sea between the VII and VI B.C .
Coins were minted in temples and
each polis had its own iconography.
Soon the minted symbols (religious,
foundational, economical) served as
promotion of the poleis
Silver Athenian
Tetradrachma
Ancient Greek coins had ears of wheat
and the first Roman ones had heads of
cattle. These patterns had been symbols
of wealth during many centuries and
these engravings connected coins with
the idea of the value of the things that
were represented in them.
This way people could easily understand
the new monetary system.
Coin of
Ephesus,
Artemis polis
5. COINS IN ANCIENT TIMES: IBERIAN
PENINSULA
The main inhabitants of the Iberian
Peninsula were Tartessians, Celts,
Iberians, Phoenicians, Greek,
Carthaginians... Then the Romans
arrived in the year 218 B.C. and
Romanisation started.
The first coins in the Iberian Peninsula
came up after colonisation. Emporium
and Rhode minted silver drachmas
locally from the V century B. C.
Drachma minted in
Emporium
Hispano -Carthaginian coin
6. COINS IN HISPANIA
Coins in the Iberian Peninsula appeared
as a result of colonisation.
Mints of the Roman Hispania coined
bronze “sestertius” between the age of
Augustus and Caligula.
Inscription: Hispanorum. Coin of the Greek
city of Morgantina, Sicily, minted by
Hispanic mercenaries who received the
government of this city from the Romans in
the II century B.C.
Coins had arrived to Rome between
the IV-III B.C. and “denarius” was the
Roman coin par excellence.
Adriano’s aureus minted in Rome with an
allegory of Hispania
7. AL-ÁNDALUS COINS
711 - 1492
Gold Dinar Silver Dirham Cupper Felu
Maravedi of Isabel II period
Dinar was called Maravedí. It was used
in Spain during eight centuries. Its
name comes from a muslin word
“morabitis”, devouts of god, description
used for the almoravids. (Berber dynasty of
Morocco who formed an empire in the 11th
century that stretched over the western Maghreb
and Al -Andalus)
8. THE CATHOLIC MONARCHS
The catholic monarchs
standardized coins in 1497:
•Gold “Excelente”
•Silver real (royal )
•White of “vellón”
50 golden “excelentes” only
Unique coin in the world
Weight: 176 gr
Minted in Seville .
9. THE DOUBLOON
XV - XIX CENTURY
Spain Mexico Peru New Grenade
Originally called that way because it was equivalent
to two golden “Excelentes” but afterwards it named
all the golden coins of the Spanish Empire.
Minted in other countries, it was used as the model
for other European golden coins.
11. THE EURO
Official coin in most
countries of the European
Union. The name was
agreed on 16th December
1995 and the Euro became
the official coin in 1999.
After a short period of
coexistence, the Euro has
been our official coin
from 2002.
