The World's Oldest SNAD
messydesk
Posts: 20,192 ✭✭✭✭✭
Here's the translation of the tablet (from Wikipedia -- I'm not fluent in Akkadian)
Tell Ea-nа̄ṣir: Nanni sends the following message:
When you came, you said to me as follows : "I will give Gimil-Sin (when he comes) fine quality copper ingots." You left then but you did not do what you promised me. You put ingots which were not good before my messenger (Ṣīt-Sin) and said "If you want to take them, take them, if you do not want to take them, go away!"
What do you take me for, that you treat somebody like me with such contempt? I have sent as messengers gentlemen like ourselves to collect the bag with my money (deposited with you) but you have treated me with contempt by sending them back to me empty-handed several times, and that through enemy territory. Is there anyone among the merchants who trade with Telmun who has treated me in this way? You alone treat my messenger with contempt! On account of that one (trifling) mina of silver which I owe(?) you, you feel free to speak in such a way, while I have given to the palace on your behalf 1,080 pounds of copper, and Šumi-abum has likewise given 1,080 pounds of copper, apart from what we both have had written on a sealed tablet to be kept in the temple of Šamaš.
How have you treated me for that copper? You have withheld my money bag from me in enemy territory; it is now up to you to restore (my money) to me in full.
Take cognizance that (from now on) I will not accept here any copper from you that is not of fine quality. I shall (from now on) select and take the ingots individually in my own yard, and I shall exercise against you my right of rejection because you have treated me with contempt.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Comments
Man deserves his quality copper.
Latin American Collection
Nanni was always a bit of a drama queen.
The tablet showing that Ea-nа̄ṣir blocked him after being negged was never found.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
But if you had too many complaints back then, I think they stoned you rather than simply booting you from eBay.
Neg is Akkadian for stone. (Humor me). It was important in Babylon to make sure someone with whom you don't wish to do business would be prevented from engaging you in the afterlife, so both would have happened. After all, eBay is forever.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Wow!
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Interesting.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
I like where it says "From now on, I will only accept copper ingots with the Green Olive Sticker."
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
All of that on that small piece of copper?? And they did not have eyeglasses back then...It would have been hand engraved... wonder if there were any typo's??
Seems like a small error could precipitate a war, or at least a feud. 
Cheers, RickO
That looks like a clay tablet which was used at that time.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
@PerryHall.... Ah yes....of course...Still a lot of 'writing'....Cheers, RickO
It would just be a mechanical error. They would have to return it to the sender to be corrected and sent back.
wbbjts
Clay tablet, about 2" x 4.5". Didn't need eyeglasses because they didn't live long enough. Typos (punchos?) could have been smoothed over unless discovered after it was hardened. That would have meant a trip to Office Ziggurat for another tablet.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
See, they always needed CAC, even back in 1750 BC.
Is Sin Sin from Sin City?
bob
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"...And thus begat the first EAC'er. Vowing to solve the problem regarding delivery of the wrong grade of copper, the EAC grading system was soon created and all copper disputes were commanded to be argued for all eternity on a tablet called Penny-Wise..."
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Though not a member of the EAC (Early American Coppers club), and I have only read or skimmed relatively few of their official Penny-Wise publications over the past three decades, I recall seeing some interesting conflicts of views and opinions not too dissimilar from the above Babylonian clay tablet dispute.
There is also tons of interesting info in their publication.
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Past issues are on the Newman Numismatic Portal now:
https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/511683
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The Early American Coppers website:
eacs.org/
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"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
Blocked!
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces