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List the ten most important coins of all time
Donovan
Posts: 386 ✭
Here's my list in chronological order. My emphasis was on the actual function of money and I realize some are not specific as to a particular date. What would your list contain and why?
1. Lydian coinage c. 600 BC. After a brief period of blank "nugget" coinage, Lydia issued the first true coins with an identifiable government symbol, the lion. Pictured is a Lydian electrum trite.
2. Athens Tetradrachm c 430 BC. The first coin widely accepted outside of the issuing city. Athenian "Owls" were the trade coinage of the day and were the standard by which all other Greek coins were measured.
3. The Roman Denarius. Introduced in 211 BC, the denarius was the standard coin of the Roman Empire and widely copied by other cultures. The denomination didn't die with Rome however, during the medieval perion c 775 AD, Pepin of France issued a silver Deniar based on the denarius and all of Europe followed suit issuing the Denaro, Pfenning, etc., and the English Penny which became the standard medieval Europen silver coin. Pictured is a denarius from the Roman Republic era.
4. The Roman "brass" sestertius. Previously a silver coin worth 1/4 a denarius, it was transformed into a 25-30 gram brass coin during Octavian's coinage reform. The sestertius was a large heavy coin and was used as the propoganda machine of the Roman Empire with hundreds of reverse varieties depecting Rome's civil and military accomplishments, the newspapers of the day. Pictured is a sestertius of Trajan c115 AD depicting the Circus Maximus.
5. Byzantine Gold Solidus. While most of Europe languished in the dark ages, the Byzantine Empire, which was the remnent of the Eastern Roman Empire, kept western culture alive. The solidus was widely accepted and copied throughout the world during a time when most countries only issued silver. Pictured is a Solidus of Justinian c 530 AD.
6. Joachmisthaler of Tyrol (modern Hungary). Introduced in 1484, the Joachmisthaler quickly established itself as the standard coin of Europe, evolving into the thaler, tallero, rigsdaler, and dollar. Known today as "silver crowns", they set the standard for Europen coinage to this day. Picture is a Gothic Crown of Queen Victoria, considered by many to be the most beautiful coin of all time.
7. Spanish colonial 8 reales. One of the heirs of the joachmisthaler, the Spanish colonial 8 reals (silver dollar) was minted at many new world mints in North and South America. It was the standard trade coinage of the day and the standard coin of Colonial America. When the newly independent United States first minted its own silver dollar, it was based on the Spanish 8 reales.
8. 1797 copper English Penny and Two Pence. Made by Matthew Boulton at the Soho mint, the 1797 copper coins represent a revolutionary change in coinage manufacture. They are the first coins made with steam power and are a uniform diameter and weight with an overall "clean" apparence compared to earlier coins. They represent the first modern coins.
9. The 1854-s $20 Double Eagle. The California gold rush of 1849 was one of the most pivotal events in history. Gold flooded the world market in an unpresedented volume and the United States became the richest nation in the world. California became s state one year later in 1850 and the San Francisco mint was established in 1854 to mint the huge volume of gold into the newly created $20 denomination. Containing nearly an ounce of pure gold each, the 1854-s $20 represents the inaugural issue from the mint.
10. The Lincoln Cent. First minted in 1909 to commemorate the 100th annaversary of Lincoln's birth, and still being minted today almost 100 years later, the Lincoln cent is the most widely produced coin in history. Literally hundreds of billions of them have been produced and represent the single most common coin ever made.
1. Lydian coinage c. 600 BC. After a brief period of blank "nugget" coinage, Lydia issued the first true coins with an identifiable government symbol, the lion. Pictured is a Lydian electrum trite.
2. Athens Tetradrachm c 430 BC. The first coin widely accepted outside of the issuing city. Athenian "Owls" were the trade coinage of the day and were the standard by which all other Greek coins were measured.
3. The Roman Denarius. Introduced in 211 BC, the denarius was the standard coin of the Roman Empire and widely copied by other cultures. The denomination didn't die with Rome however, during the medieval perion c 775 AD, Pepin of France issued a silver Deniar based on the denarius and all of Europe followed suit issuing the Denaro, Pfenning, etc., and the English Penny which became the standard medieval Europen silver coin. Pictured is a denarius from the Roman Republic era.
4. The Roman "brass" sestertius. Previously a silver coin worth 1/4 a denarius, it was transformed into a 25-30 gram brass coin during Octavian's coinage reform. The sestertius was a large heavy coin and was used as the propoganda machine of the Roman Empire with hundreds of reverse varieties depecting Rome's civil and military accomplishments, the newspapers of the day. Pictured is a sestertius of Trajan c115 AD depicting the Circus Maximus.
5. Byzantine Gold Solidus. While most of Europe languished in the dark ages, the Byzantine Empire, which was the remnent of the Eastern Roman Empire, kept western culture alive. The solidus was widely accepted and copied throughout the world during a time when most countries only issued silver. Pictured is a Solidus of Justinian c 530 AD.
6. Joachmisthaler of Tyrol (modern Hungary). Introduced in 1484, the Joachmisthaler quickly established itself as the standard coin of Europe, evolving into the thaler, tallero, rigsdaler, and dollar. Known today as "silver crowns", they set the standard for Europen coinage to this day. Picture is a Gothic Crown of Queen Victoria, considered by many to be the most beautiful coin of all time.
7. Spanish colonial 8 reales. One of the heirs of the joachmisthaler, the Spanish colonial 8 reals (silver dollar) was minted at many new world mints in North and South America. It was the standard trade coinage of the day and the standard coin of Colonial America. When the newly independent United States first minted its own silver dollar, it was based on the Spanish 8 reales.
8. 1797 copper English Penny and Two Pence. Made by Matthew Boulton at the Soho mint, the 1797 copper coins represent a revolutionary change in coinage manufacture. They are the first coins made with steam power and are a uniform diameter and weight with an overall "clean" apparence compared to earlier coins. They represent the first modern coins.
9. The 1854-s $20 Double Eagle. The California gold rush of 1849 was one of the most pivotal events in history. Gold flooded the world market in an unpresedented volume and the United States became the richest nation in the world. California became s state one year later in 1850 and the San Francisco mint was established in 1854 to mint the huge volume of gold into the newly created $20 denomination. Containing nearly an ounce of pure gold each, the 1854-s $20 represents the inaugural issue from the mint.
10. The Lincoln Cent. First minted in 1909 to commemorate the 100th annaversary of Lincoln's birth, and still being minted today almost 100 years later, the Lincoln cent is the most widely produced coin in history. Literally hundreds of billions of them have been produced and represent the single most common coin ever made.
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I'm impressed
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I'd loose the Lincoln cent from the above list and replace it with a farthing.I have a few other candidates in mind, but not much time right now.
Good list, excellent comments Donovan.
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<< <i>My emphasis was on the actual function of money >>
Rather than pontificate endlessly, the international importance of the sovereign through a large part of history since 1817 to the late 1950's makes it a prime candidate IMHO
But I could be somewhat biased since I collect sovereigns and don't have a single Lincoln cent.
<< <i>Someone post a gold sovereign please. My scan is not good. >>
Marcel
If you decide to expand to 20 coins, please add the Russian Kopek, simply holding such a massive coin
has got to be worth something.
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<< <i>How about the Maria Theresia Thaler? >>
Minted continuously for more than twice as long as the Lincoln Cent (it's not properly identified as a "penny"), obverse, and four times as long as the current reverse; and without the multiple metal changes!
<< <i>Nice coins! I agree with your list for the biggest part of it, but there is one type missing in my opinion: The first European gros. For centuries the only coins used in medieval Europe were pennies. It was a major step forward when the gros was introduced. I believe the French were the first ones to strike it.
Marcel >>
I agree, the Gros was on my short list but didn't make the cut. My cut is my opinion obviously and the list was meant to stimulate discussion such as this. Good post on the Gros, which morphed into the Grosso, Groschen, and English Groat (one of my favorite medieval coins).
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least two countries that had dated designs unchaged for longer than the Lincoln cent.
First DAMMIT BOY! 25/9/05 (Finally!)
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<< <i>
<< <i>Someone post a gold sovereign please. My scan is not good. >>
Hey, that's a Canadian sovereign!
Why aren't there any state quarters or Reel Coinz on the list?
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<< <i>
Off the top of my head, I can think of at least two countries that had dated designs unchaged for longer than the Lincoln cent. >>
The main point wasn't about how long Lincoln cents were made, but the fact that they have been produced in the hundreds of billions, far more than any other coin in history.
<< <i>I wonder if the Lincoln should be replaced with the Euro. When in history have different countries with different cultures all agreed on a uniform monetary system.
] >>
Good point! I think the Euro definately qualifies as a major historical coinage.
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I think that this list should be about 20 - 25 coins long. Including the coins mentioned above and also a company coin (Ex Br East India Co.) and occupational coinages, possibly Roman or more modern.
<< <i>Here's my list in chronological order. My emphasis was on the actual function of money and I realize some are not specific as to a particular date. What would your list contain and why?
>>
I definitely agree that "actual function as money" is an important criterion for
determining a coin's importance. This might be defined as:
1- -The total value of all the goods and services purchased with the coin.
2- -The number of people who actually used the coin at some point in time.
&3- -The lenght of time the coin circulated.
On this basis the US clad quarter probably deserves a place on the list. Granted
there are also other criteria in determining importance and the quarter is not as
important on other scales.
<< <i>
On this basis the US clad quarter probably deserves a place on the list. Granted
there are also other criteria in determining importance and the quarter is not as
important on other scales. >>
I'm sorry but anything made of clad isn't a real coin.
<< <i>
I'm sorry but anything made of clad isn't a real coin.
Yea, yea, I've heard that one before.
<< <i>
<< <i>
I'm sorry but anything made of clad isn't a real coin.
Yea, yea, I've heard that one before.