Greetings my fellow coin geeks! This post really is nothing more than an op-ed sort of device, where I don't believe a real answer could ever be fully measured, detailed or proven beyond a reasonable doubt. A simple question really. What coin has been the most influential coin of man kind? As an American, when I first proposed this question in my head, my instant knee jerk reaction was to think "The Cent". This coin would have the furthest reaching powers. Think about it. Back in the 1800's, or even in the 1900's... Not everyone had a lot of money. I bet the majority of the population never held a gold coin in their hand. So what denomination would be most likely to have been used by ALL population, regardless of their economic situation? I would argue that the Cent would fill that role. But then I realize that our illustrious mint has only been producing coins for just over 200 years. When you look at global coins, you'll see that some nations/kingdoms produced coins for nearly a thousand years! (aka - Roman coins). Our measly 200 years is but a drop in the bucket when it comes to time. Yet, again I'm forced to reckon with the reality of the same question for American coins. Did all Roman's use coins? Or were these coins reserved for the elite? Did the majority of Roman's instead deal with trading, bartering or plain farming to acquire what they needed to survive? In that case, then their coins, although produced for a very long time, did not have AS much affect in their society. So where does this lead us? What could be the answer? I finally came to the conclusion that the most influential coin of man kind was..... The Reale. When I look at the history of Europe starting in the 16th century... Or looking at all the Americas history in the 17th century and beyond, the Reale was a very COMMON coin used seemingly everywhere in the world. I mean, just in America alone, we used that coinage (and different types of course) for nearly 200 years before we started making our own currency. The Reale is probably also the most hoarded coin by Pirates. Most shipwrecks of that time frame (17th and 18th century) are almost always laden with Reales. So I humbly ask you. In your opinion, what do YOU feel is the most influential coin of man kind? Perhaps you define this as most commonly USED coin? Perhaps you define this as the coin that changed history, man kind perhaps? Your thoughts?
My initial reaction when reading this was the silver penny in all its incarnations throughout medieval Europe.
The Romans - pretty much all of them - did use coins. Not necessarily the denarius but (in the 1st and 2nd centuries) the sestertius and particularly the as were common. And yes, the real de a ocho was certainly an influential coin. Another one was the Thaler, named after St. Joachimsthal ... Christian
Idk because i wasnt there.... But, if you were asking about which coin has amazed and influenced COIN COLLECTORS, then it is the one, the only....... The most sought after coins in American history. THE Morgan silver dollar.
The most influential would probably be the very first dollar sized coins, that started the whole craze. The Spanish milled dollar was just an extension of that. The first "joachimsthaler" was coin in central Europe in 1520. The name evolved into "thaler" - and the English version of the word "dollar" came from that.
You could, of course, make the argument that the most influential coins ever were the Lydian electrum pieces - the very first coins ever minted.
Those that were adopted as standards for international trade or storage of wealth. Today, it would be AGEs and gold pandas, as I don't see any modern base-metal coinage as having any influence. Early 20th century, US $20 Saints. 18th-19th century would be Spanish/Mexican 8 Reales, 16th-17th century would be Lion Daalders. The silver denarius and penny had quite the run.
Here's an out of the box thought... go figure... LOL How about the South African Kruggerrand? It influenced many nations around the world to start minting Gold (and silver) bullion coins.
If you really want to go out of the box how about the coins that bought the bullets that assassinated Archduke Ferdinand
This is the $64,000.00 question. I have no clue. But I might guess it was whomever made the first metal based coin. Everything else followed in it's footsteps. I wonder if Cave men had coins...JK.
Thank you to everyone for posting your thoughts. I really think that I most agree with @physics-fan3.14 and the "Milled Dollar" theory. If the Spanish Reale and other such coinage was an adaptation or copy of that original Thaler, then I would agree that it may have been the most influential. Putting aside how far and wide that type of currency would have been used, we can also associate that type of coin with "pirates" and "treasure chests". I'm sure most kids grew up thinking about a Pirates Chest... and I know in my own imagination, I see all kinds of coins in that chest. What type of coins would they be? Of course gold coins.. but more than that.. Silver coins... lots and lots of silver coins....