Ancient gold coin is a numismatic value

Modern numismatists are ready to give thousands and even millions of dollars for some copies of gold coins. Their value is determined by rarity, popularity, historical significance, appearance. The highest value among the collectors of the world has an ancient gold coin in its various forms.

Historical digression

In ancient times, the function of money was fulfilled by cattle, skins, meat, other products, handicrafts. A little later in this role used iron, copper, bronze, silver, and only then gold. The ingots were of different sizes and samples, the payment created many difficulties.

In the VII-VI century BC. E. The first coins appeared. This greatly simplified the process of buying and selling. The natural exchange was preserved, the monetary periods were replaced by non-monetary periods, and iron in some countries was valued more than silver and gold for a long time. But over time, gold money has become most valuable.

The first precious pennies were minted from pure metal. But due to its softness and plasticity, the ancient gold coin quickly lost its appearance and weight. When smelting ingots to increase their mechanical properties, they began to add silver or copper.

The first gold coins were used in Ancient Egypt, Ancient China, the Lydian Kingdom, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire. In Europe, they came into use in the early 13th century. The appearance of gold on the territory of the Old World was associated with the development of trade relations with the Middle East, in particular with the Ottoman Empire.

The first ancient gold coin was minted in Florence and was called "florin". After the gold coin fashion spread to other cities and countries. They had different names in the territories of different states, and even within one they were replaced by their design and names. From now on, only its essence has not changed - the most valuable money in the world.

Reincarnation of English gold

The birth of the British "golden penny" fell on 1257. However, this money did not become regular and very quickly disappeared. Historically, seven specimens have been preserved.

Regular coinage of the old English gold coin found during the Hundred Years War with the French allies. It has changed its appearance, value and value in the monetary system. Some of the coins exist in a single quantity and are highly valued by historians and numismatists.

Chronology of the change of images and names of English gold money

Images of gold money changed gradually:

• XIV century: florin (equal to 6 shillings), later - a Noble (80 pence). They quickly went out of turn. Very rare and expensive. Florin exists only in triplicate. Popular "Noble with George" and full.
• XV century: raion (10 shillings) and angel (6 shillings 8 pence). Rare and valuable. The most popular is the rayol with a rose.
• 1489: sovereign (20 shillings).
• XVI century: crown (5 shillings) and pound (20 shillings). "Crown with a rose" is the most valuable of them.
• XVII century: a sovereign, he is also a united (in honor of the unification of England and Scotland); And under Charles II - guinea.
• 1816: return is sovereign. Collecting specimens.
• XX century: the sovereign has come out of money circulation and is a collector's coin of Great Britain.

French gold: the complexity of history

Until 1360 in France used livres, denarii, su (silver or bronze). The beginning of the coinage of gold coins also falls on the period of the Hundred Years' War. The first ancient French gold coin was called the "franc", and due to design features (depicted king on horseback), he was nicknamed the "horse franc" by the people. Later there was also a "walking franc".

The monetary system of that time had the following gradation: 1 franc = 1 livre tur = 20 salts. The named monetary unit periodically then appeared briefly, then disappeared again. The French Revolution restored this currency, and it remained a priority up to the present day.

For France, just like for England, it was typical to issue the same coin in gold and silver. The historical change in the appearance and names of valuable coins was not so intense, but the change of epochs was directly reflected in the currency.

Chronology of the history of the French gold coin

The history of gold coins of France looked like this:

• XIV-XV century: franc. Rare and expensive.
• The end of the XIV-XV century: the golden ecu (equal to 3 levres). In circulation, the "change" francs were preserved.
• XVII-XVIII century: the luidor. Eku is produced in silver equivalent. Value of money of the Enlightenment: 1 luidor = 4 eku = 24 lira = 240 salts.
• The end of the 18th century, the French Revolution: the return of the franc in the framework of the decimal system of money. The appearance of a Napoleon (20 francs), a double Napoleon (40 francs) and a half-Napoleonador (10 francs). Frankish epics of Napoleon Bonaparte are also called "cock" or "Marianne" (on the obverse depicts the head of Marianne, and on the reverse - the cock) - this is a very valuable collector's coin of our time. Minted until 1914. Now it is issued in equating to the euro.
• The end of the XIX century: franc. It is the main one on the territory of several European countries (Latin Monetary Union).
• The first half of the XX century: the rejection of the gold coin standard. However, the currency, called the "franc", lasted until 2002 and the introduction of the euro. Now the gold francs are produced only in the collection version.

Spanish gold: a small change of "golden" appearance

An ancient Spanish gold coin was born only in the 16th century under the name of "golden escudo". The existence of gold coins in Spain is the most stable in comparison with France, and especially in England.

The coinage of the escudo was established during the reign of King Philip II. The ratio of coins in the monetary system of the monarchy was as follows: 1 escudo = 400 maravedi, later 1 escudo = 16 reais = 544 maravedi.

Excursion into history:

• XVI century: escudo, as well as escudillo, which amounted to half the escudo.
• XVIII century: golden doubloons (2 escudos).
• The beginning of the XIX century: 1 escudo is equivalent to 40 reals. Later, the silver escudo is temporarily the main currency. There are new copper, bronze and silver money: sentimo and pessets.
• The end of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century: in circulation gold and silver in denominations of 20, 25 and 100 pesetas.

To date, as a gold collectible money in Spain, the euro is issued a different design.

Half of the state - for precious money

Numismatists buy and collect a huge amount of more or less valuable monetary money. The ancient gold coins remain a serious goal for the most devoted and passionate. The price for them can vary from a few tens of dollars to hundreds of thousands.

The approximate cost of the most valuable gold-coin money is presented in the table.

For ignorant people, coins are just sales and sale proceeds, museum exhibits, echoes of history. Only a true passionate collector will say that in them lives the soul of the world, the history of a certain country, people of a particular epoch. That it is a ticket to an imaginary time machine in which you can see the king and queen of Medieval France, Spanish pirates, English courtiers and a poor servant. That they are a treasure not only material, but historical, cultural and spiritual. An ancient gold coin is the highest numismatic value among collectors.