Subject: The first coin - addenda
From: Alan & Erin Williams
Date: 7/18/2003 8:32 AM Eastern

bronze "cow hides" known from Mycenaean finds.
Any particular argument for not considering these as coins?

The bronze cow hides weighing one talent and presumably worth one car are
indeed coins to me.

Consider the early Chinese knife money. They are mostly shaped like knives,
but are not really knives and were traded like coins and their handles led
directly to the Chinese cash. So, they are coins, also.

We have been around on this and there is no single good definition of "coin."
I offered one that was pretty broad.

Most so-called "authorities" (common dictionaries, numismatic dictionaries)
stipulate that a "coin" must be issued by a government. What about the coins
of Marcus Porcius Cato, the Younger? He had no such authority, being in revolt
-- and much of Roman history was like that with leaders in the field issuing
coins.

Most so-called authorities say that a coin must have a statement of value. The
British Sovereign fails that test.

It goes on and on.

Also -- a new point -- the word COIN refers to the "wedge" that struck the
metal. So, are CAST coins not coins?



----------------
Michael E. Marotta
ANA R-162953