11/10 Lecture: Ancient Greek Coinage from Lydia to Athens
Electrum Trite, Sardis, 600 BCE-560 BCE.
1954.237.404 | Numismatics.org
Presented by Dr. Ute Wartenberg Kagan
American Numismatic Society
November 10, 2025 | 5PM | Hale Science 230
This lecture explores the origins and development of coinage during the Archaic period. It examines when, where, and why coinage was first introduced, how it was produced, and the ways in which it was used. The earliest coins, made of electrum, appeared in Lydia and lonia in the mid-seventh century BCE. By analyzing early specimens and their find-spots, the lecture will consider the revolutionary nature of this innovation. It will also trace the subsequent introduction of silver and gold coinage by the mid-sixth century BCE and discuss how Athens and other Greek city-states adopted this new medium of exchange.