Even though you can never own this coin, it is no less interesting. The heritage of ancient coins is a subject that intrigues and delights collectors, investors and scholars the world over. The oldest coin available today was discovered in Efesos, an ancient Hellenic city and prosperous trading center on the coast of Asia Minor. The 1/6 stater, pictured below, is more than 2,700 years old, making it one of the very earliest coins. Made from electrum, a natural occuring alloy of gold and silver, the coin originated in the area of Lydia. It had a lion head design on one side only, a result of … [Read more...]