oldest coin

You need some parameters. The oldest Fed coin is either the 1792 patterns or 1793 regular issue Large Cents and Half Cents.

Prior to that, it depends on what you call money which could be stones or bones as well as metal. Perhaps you intend it to be stamped metal rounds. This would probably be Assyrian or Babylonian ancients.

 

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First, there is no AU grade in ancients. Never has been. I would grade that coin aEF. I am somewhat a strict grader. Please note that for ancients an EF coin is a superlative coin. For comparisons for US collectors, I would say aEF ancient would be about a 45-50, EF about a 50-62, gEF 62-64, and a FDC 65up. FDC ancients are exceedingly rare, so much so good dealers are very leery of giving that grade for fear collectors will accuse them of overgrading. EF's by themselves are very scarce except for certain issues. This one happens to be an issue where EF is common. I believe shortly after this reign a lot of chaos was going on and these coins were hoarded extensively for their high silver content. I used to be able to buy these in EF for $20 or less all day long, they are relatively common.

Therefor, applying US grading scale to this coin the grade is not terribly unfair, its just we do not USE the US grading scale. Its terribly presumptious for NGC to impose thier grading scale on a hobby that has developed and used their own for hundreds of years. Also, our price guides and references use OUR grading, so a new collector will think his "VF" NGC graded ancient is worth say $100, when in fact its a "F" graded ancient worth $30.

See why I get mad at this? Its causing newcomers to vastly overpay. I am not a grumpy old man for no reason.

Btw Robec, again, not denigrating your coin. They are good silver, available in high grade, and attractive ancient coins and frquently the choice of newer collectors. Nothing wrong with the coin, I am just mad at NGC. I told Mr. Vagi this in person, actually, and I do not believe its his choice to use NGC grading scale. If he graded with our grades, I would appreciate their service much more.

Chris

 

Well "coin" has been dabated for centuries. After all of that debate, and definitions, it pretty much has been accepted that the Lydian electrum coinage was the first official "coin". It had standard value, it was stamped with official stamps, and it was part of a monetary system. Those things allowed them to pass in transactions without verifying the weight and purity of the metal, the intent of coinage. Before that, all items for trade had to be retested for weight and purity, hampering trade.

You are very right Marshall about "money". That is a stickier can of worms that predates coinage, but very much debated as to when it began, or even what qualifies as it.

 

thanks medoraman, that was an interesting read about grading ancients and i learned a few things.

 

Here my oldest (and one of my smallest)

Ionia, Miletos
AR
6th century BC
Lion right, roaring head turned back left/ star and pellets

9mm .9g

 

now that realy old

 

That is really cool... getting super old on some of these...~~

 

The lion and bull of Lydia used to be promoted as the earliest but we know now that there were several that beat it including some plain lumps with just a textured surface. The first ones (mid 6th century BC) were electrum (natural gold/silver alloy) but my poor example is later and just silver after they started making them both ways. It still should be 6th century but probably getting closer to the end as is Randy's Miletos.

 

we killed the topic XD

 

Sorry to be a stickler, but shouldn't this thread be in the World & Ancient Coin forum? I came here expecting things like 1793 Large Cents and Fugios...

 

This is my oldest coin.
:kewl:

 

Sorry, some of us find links of interest in the right side menu where all the sub forum choices mix together. Perhaps if the OP had used the title 'Oldest US coin' we would have noted the forum and not posted our OT material. Unfortunately I don't know how to delete my post but I do apologize for showing something pre 1793 or whenever you consider the start of US coins.

 

OK! Oldest US Coins it is:

 

my oldest us coin

 

Okay, if we are talking about member's oldest US coin, then mine is a 1798 cent...
You can just barely tell what it is... My grandfather found it many, many years ago.
This is not normally what I collect, so it is what it is.

(I didn't know this was in the US forum when I first posted either. I picked the topic up from 'new post' list on the side.)

 

do any of you guys know how to tell if you have a 1964 SMS coin