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The First Coins

Imagined replicas of early stamped coins
Imagined replicas of early stamped coins. AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a historical object or event.

Stamped coins made many trades easier.

Some of the earliest stamped coins were made in Lydia, in today's TĂŒrkiye, more than 2,500 years ago. They included coins made from electrum, a mix of gold and silver. Coins developed in different places, and historians still study their beginnings.

People still needed to trust the coin.

Try it

Design a coin with a meaningful symbol. You can point, draw, type or use your communication tool.

Draw a symbol for a pretend coin.

Discovery challenge

What did a coin stamp help show?

Sources for grown-ups
The First Coins - Money Quest