COINS
When the productive activities diversify, the work specializes and generates surplus, we can say that we have the ideal conditions for exchanging products. BARTERING WAS BORN
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
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. Grain of electrum 725 B.C.
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.
Croeseid 558- 546 B.C.
THE ORIGINS OF COINS : GREECE
Silver Athenian Tetradrachma
The Greeks spread the use of coin around the Mediterranean Sea between the VII and VI B.C .
Coins were minted in temples and Ancient Greek coins had ears of wheat each polis had its own iconography. and the first Roman ones had heads of Soon the minted symbols (religious, cattle. These patterns had been symbols foundational, economical) served as of wealth during many centuries and promotion of the poleis these engravings connected coins with the idea of the value of the things that Coin of were represented in them. Ephesus, This way people could easily understand Artemis polis the new monetary system.
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 and Romanisation started.
Hispano -Carthaginian coin
Drachma minted in Emporium The first coins in the Iberian Peninsula came up after colonisation. Emporium and Rhode minted silver drachmas locally from the V century B. C.
COINS IN HISPANIA 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
Inscription: Hispanorum. city of Morgantina, Hispanic mercenaries government of this city the II century B.C.
Coin of the Greek Sicily, minted by who received the from the Romans in
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.
AL-ÁNDALUS COINS
711 - 1492
Gold Dinar
Silver Dirham
Cupper Felu
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)
Maravedi of Isabel II period
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 .
THE DOUBLOON XV - XIX CENTURY 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. Spain
Mexico
Peru
New Grenade
THE PESETA
Spanish currency unit since 19th October, 1868 until 1st January, 1999.
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.