| Lots of different cultures have been making coins for | | | | cash to fund a new coliseum or war, they minted |
| millennia. Ancient coins are made of different materials | | | | more money. Ancient coins from Rome are an |
| and using different processes than modern coins. | | | | inexpensive way to begin collecting ancient coins and |
| Reflecting the culture they came from, ancient coins, | | | | are relatively easy to find. |
| just like modern ones teaches you a lot of pretty cool | | | | Ancient Chinese Coins |
| stuff about the history of that culture. | | | | As with everything else, China was minting coins while |
| Ancient Roman Coins | | | | the Western world was still using pretty rocks for |
| About 290 BC Rome began making coins. The value | | | | money. Rome used coins as early as 290 BC, but |
| was determined by the weight of the coin as they | | | | China was minting coins as early as 350 BC. In 250 BC |
| were made out of whatever metal was handy. Coins | | | | they started using a round, minted coin with a square |
| at that time were really just a standardized form of | | | | hole in the middle, and that's what Chinese coins looked |
| barter. | | | | like for 2,100 years. |
| When people began putting images on ancient coins, | | | | With each dynasty memorialized in its coinage, |
| they initially chose the images of gods. Various world | | | | Chinese coins tell history also. |
| conquerors saw themselves as gods, and began to | | | | Other Ancient Coins |
| put their images on ancient coins, as well. Julius Caesar | | | | The other ancient empires had their coins, too. There |
| was the first emperor of Rome, and Roman coinage | | | | are Scythian coins, Parthian coins, Greek coins, and |
| from his time bears his image. | | | | Babylonian coins. The oldest known coin is the Daric, |
| The story of the Roman Empire is told through ancient | | | | used in the Persian Empire prior to 500 BC when it |
| coins from Rome. They tell you who the emperor | | | | was conquered by Alexander the Great, who |
| was, what was going on, and would be made to | | | | replaced it with his own coins that had his portrait on |
| commemorate events that were important. | | | | them. There may be coins older than that, but we don't |
| Roman coins are fun to collect because of the history, | | | | know about them yet. If and when more ancient coins |
| but also because there are lots of them. Wherever | | | | are found, however, they will tell us more about the |
| the Roman Empire reached, coins from Rome can be | | | | history of the people who made them. |
| found. Just like today, whenever the empire needed | | | | |