Greek Coins - examples of ancient art and historical information

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Ancient Greek coins represent more than currency to collectors. Steeped in the history of this celebrated people, Greek coins are both examples of ancient art and a method of passing down historical information.

From Lydia in Asia Minor, the minting of coins spread quickly over the sea to the city states of Ancient Greece. The island of Aegina produced the first Greek coins in c.600 B.C.

Greek coins made during the Archaic period depicted mainly sacred animals, like lions and bulls. Coins minted at this time were heavy, bulky, and featured very little writing. Depictions of the gods and coats of arms were common. Artwork on these coins was intricate and detailed, but lacked the artistic perspective that would develop in later years.

Alexander the Great spread the system of coinage throughout his empire during the classical Hellinic period (around 336-323 B.C.). Post-Alexander, portraits of ancient rulers and men of note were featured on ancient Greek coins for the first time.

Alexander the Great broke with a long standing tradition in Greek coinage during his reign. Portraits of humans had never been featured on Greek coins, but Alexander deified himself by depicting the Greek hero, Hercules, with his own likeness and features. Portraiture would prove to be a common theme on Greek coins, but busts of living kings would not appear on them for another few decades.

Ancient Greek coins have historical significance

From these historians could view portraits of unseen kings as well as getting to see pictures of ancient buildings and temples as they would have been in their prime. These coins remain a key example of ancient Greek art.

One of the first and most important Greek coins produced was the stater, a gold coin produced across ancient Greece in varying weights. Staters could be issued in halves, thirds and sixths. The standard unit of silver coinage was the drachm.

These coins were common but ancient Greece required smaller coin denominations to be used in daily trade. The obol was also introduced – a light, small coin worth one sixth of a drachm. The use of bronze coins became widespread in the 4 th Century B.C.

The artistic merit of ancient Greek coins means they are highly sought after by coin collectors in sales. Their historical, religious and artistic values are just as significant to collectors as the monetary value they bear.

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