First Coinage in Lydia

640 BCE · Sardes, Lidya (Manisa, Türkiye) · economic

Electrum (a gold-silver alloy) coins are the earliest known minted money in world history.

Herodotus (I.94) records the Lydians as the first to strike coinage. The oldest examples were found in the excavations of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (1904-1905).

Related civilizations

Frequently asked questions

What was First Coinage in Lydia?
Electrum (a gold-silver alloy) coins are the earliest known minted money in world history.
When did First Coinage in Lydia happen?
640 BCE
Where did First Coinage in Lydia take place?
Sardes, Lidya (Manisa, Türkiye)