09/08/2020
Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome is frequently cited as one of the first coin collectors. Augustus ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD and is known to have accumulated coins and given them as gifts.
Coins begin to appear in the archaeological record about 650 BC. Scholars disagree on exactly where the first coins were minted, but the ancient civilizations in Anatolia (modern day Turkey), Greece, India and China are all likely candidates. Prior to the appearance of coins, precious metals were commonly used as the basis for trade, but needed to be carefully weighed at each transaction and the purity of the metal verified. The development of minted coinage in which the weight and metal composition were certified by a government represented a significant advance in the development of commerce
