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A couple months ago I received a 1964 quarter as part of routinely receiving change from buying lunch. What’s special about 1964 is that it was the last year that American dimes and quarters used actual silver. I sold the $0.25 coin for $2.25 at a pawn shop.
I've always wondered how exactly the ancient coins were being assayed at the time for metal content and purity. These days with advanced chemistry it's easy but back in the day that wasn't available. I think that would make a great video subject.
"Pater corinthiarius, ego argentarius" ("My father was a pot-seller, I am a money-changer")... According to Suetonius, this is how Augustus saw himself, probably in account of his monetary reforms 😂
The biggest difference was that the coin didn’t have value because the government decreed that it had value. The silver was the value. And that was true in the United States before the 1930s. Bank notes were merely receipts, saying that whoever holds this note is entitled to cash it in for ten dollars worth of silver. The coins were made of silver, but in 1964 the American government realized that it didn’t need to use $1.30 worth of silver to make a $0.25 coin. And so 1965 coins used cheaper metals. Now, we’re almost a hundred years removed from the idea that the value is in the silver instead of the coin, to where most people have never seen or held actual silver, except perhaps for expensive jewelry.
there is also the case that the outer temple is the place where he tried casting them out, that is that the part of the temple which was meant to be for the betterment of non jews as per their mandate of being a light unto the nations was the area they set up shop. them setting up shop there impairing the ability of that part of the temple to function as intended. wich is why they where cast out of the temple. the temple not being a place of economic but a religious purpose.
The bit about Jesus and the merchants is very interesting indeed! A related question, did coin exchanges in the geeek/roman world use something like chopmarks?
@@ClassicalNumismatics I now have a better understanding of how ancient monetary systems work. I knew Egypt had a closed system, but that was it. Thanks again!
All the tables are about to be flipped very soon. Unless you have the mark, you will not buy or sell. All markets are about to crash.@@ClassicalNumismatics
Contemporary folks really have no idea the level of complexity of financial instruments available in the Roman Empire to an individual that had the money to access them
with the fact that the empire tried whatever it can to hide the fact that each coin was less valuable, I doubt that people were keeping tabs on how valuable each coin was until prices were naturally raised due to supply and demand
They did such a thing. The germanic kingdoms that took the territories from the collapsing western empire used old Roman coins, as well as new coins struck under their jurisdiction, and these coins were based on the old roman designs.
You should do an episode on some of the exchange rates or maybe cover 13th century exchange rates between Trois Gros and the Venetian Grosso and the Islamic coins of the day!
Do you know if their was a term or phrase for a numismatist/ coin dealer back in the Greco-Roman period or would the aforementioned occupations in the video also account for that
Numismatics started developing around the 14th century. There were certainly coin collectors in the past, some argue Emperor Augustus himself was a collector, but there arent any records of actual numismatists or coin dealers from ancient times.
@@ClassicalNumismatics after looking more at the responsibilities if there were numismatic coin dealers, they would likely be a ARGENTARI. Cool video hope to see more
The magnifying glass held by the Nummularii is an anachronism. However, they may have used rock crystal shards in the same function. PS. I remember a gladiator movie as a child that featured a wristwatch!
How did people in the past know the exact purity of a coin? For example, two coins of 40% silver and 50% silver would look quite similar to the human eye. How can the exact chemical composition be known before modern science?
Silver has a very specific weight and density, therefore, when put on a container with water, one can easily tell apart a fine silver coin, from one with copper or other metals of different density mixed in
@@ClassicalNumismatics The density difference between silver and copper is actually not that great, 10.5 g/cm3 vs 8.9 g/cm3; and given how small some of the coins were, weighing sometimes just a few grams, plus the imprecision of measurements at the time, it must have led to large margins of error. I am not saying that it wasn't one of the methods used, but there must have been other ways to deal with the uncertainties that precise density measurements with rudimentary methods entail.
Most records of bankers in Rome seem to indicate they were native Romans, that most likely practiced the traditional Roman faith. There was no problem with usury in ancient Rome
Would you like to support the channel and my work?
Consider buying some channel Merch! You get a cool T-Shirt or Mug and you help me make more Ancient Numismatics content. Thank you!
leob.creator-spring.com/
Help the Channel by "Buying me a Coffee": www.buymeacoffee.com/classicalnumismatics
Where would someone buy a fairly priced ancient Greek coin?
Check out my playlist for beginners, where I explain this topic
A couple months ago I received a 1964 quarter as part of routinely receiving change from buying lunch.
What’s special about 1964 is that it was the last year that American dimes and quarters used actual silver.
I sold the $0.25 coin for $2.25 at a pawn shop.
You could have gotten double if you negotiated. Melt value was probably $4.50.
Today's lesson on classical numismatics was really interesting.
This channel is a hidden gem. Subscribed!
Thank you very much for the kind words, welcome aboard!
Huzzah I asked about this two weeks ago on a community post and here's a whole video on it, you rule man.
Very informative! Thank you. Zac from An American Homestead recommended this video to his listeners. 👍
Thank you very much! I left Zac a message, very kind of him to recommend my channel :)
I've always wondered how exactly the ancient coins were being assayed at the time for metal content and purity. These days with advanced chemistry it's easy but back in the day that wasn't available. I think that would make a great video subject.
Very educational, well produced thank you.
"Pater corinthiarius, ego argentarius" ("My father was a pot-seller, I am a money-changer")... According to Suetonius, this is how Augustus saw himself, probably in account of his monetary reforms 😂
Thats fascinating 😂
Always interesting content! Thanks for your dedication to our love of ancient metals 🙏
The biggest difference was that the coin didn’t have value because the government decreed that it had value. The silver was the value.
And that was true in the United States before the 1930s. Bank notes were merely receipts, saying that whoever holds this note is entitled to cash it in for ten dollars worth of silver.
The coins were made of silver, but in 1964 the American government realized that it didn’t need to use $1.30 worth of silver to make a $0.25 coin. And so 1965 coins used cheaper metals.
Now, we’re almost a hundred years removed from the idea that the value is in the silver instead of the coin, to where most people have never seen or held actual silver, except perhaps for expensive jewelry.
Always interesting, informative, and enjoyable
Great vid and nice examples Leo
Amazing thanks Leo😁
Great video! I've recently begun studying about the coinage of Tyre, the temple tax, and the coinage of the Jewish revolts. All very fascinating.
Excellent video, thank you for sharing!!
there is also the case that the outer temple is the place where he tried casting them out, that is that the part of the temple which was meant to be for the betterment of non jews as per their mandate of being a light unto the nations was the area they set up shop. them setting up shop there impairing the ability of that part of the temple to function as intended. wich is why they where cast out of the temple. the temple not being a place of economic but a religious purpose.
Great video!
loved this
Thank you! Glad to see people are enjoying the most history-related content :)
Great video. Moneychangers...the second oldesr job of humanity 😂
Referred by Zack at American Homestead. Thanks very informative.
Very interesting!! I love how much I learn with your videos!
Zack at An American Homestead referred me to your site.
Great as ever!!!
Fantastic video Leo, well narrated charming music and edition! 😃👍
Rome Total War music is just the best!
@@ClassicalNumismatics 🤣🤣🤣 it is just perfect for this vid
The bit about Jesus and the merchants is very interesting indeed! A related question, did coin exchanges in the geeek/roman world use something like chopmarks?
They did! Test Cuts, countermarks, bankers marks, lots of em!
Thanks for this very informative video!!
You are welcome! What did you learn today?
@@ClassicalNumismatics I now have a better understanding of how ancient monetary systems work. I knew Egypt had a closed system, but that was it. Thanks again!
You do great work, thank you!
That poor Nummularii is missing a chunk of his head.
Probably the result of a brawl after a transaction went bad.
Time to flip some tables!
Call the man of Nazareth, he's really good at it
All the tables are about to be flipped very soon. Unless you have the mark, you will not buy or sell. All markets are about to crash.@@ClassicalNumismatics
Contemporary folks really have no idea the level of complexity of financial instruments available in the Roman Empire to an individual that had the money to access them
Very interesting, must have been quite complicated to exchange coins when the silver content went down year by year!
with the fact that the empire tried whatever it can to hide the fact that each coin was less valuable, I doubt that people were keeping tabs on how valuable each coin was until prices were naturally raised due to supply and demand
Fantastic
Here from An American Homestead
This is by far my favorite video on your channel, so interesting
Diocletian's Price controls didn't help his monetary reforms. Don't think economics were his strong suit. Thanks for a very interesting video.
Im making a video on the subject, you should enjoy it :)
As empires crumbled could the powerful take the old coins, melt them down and create they're own currency?
They did such a thing. The germanic kingdoms that took the territories from the collapsing western empire used old Roman coins, as well as new coins struck under their jurisdiction, and these coins were based on the old roman designs.
!(: THANKS ;)!
Anamericanhomestead sent me
Welcome!
These AI images are wild lmao. Not hating, great video!
You should do an episode on some of the exchange rates or maybe cover 13th century exchange rates between Trois Gros and the Venetian Grosso and the Islamic coins of the day!
Very nice! But ... nummularii wielding magnifying glasses???
There have been magnifying glasses found in ancient mints since the 500s BC
@@ClassicalNumismatics Oh, cool. I never knew that.
@ClassicalNumismatics where this pollished Cristal rocks or concave glasses?
An American Homestead sent me.
Welcome aboard!
Great stuff as always, can you something on forgeries, I see coins labelled as 'caprara forgery' sometimes, what does it mean?
🍯🍯🍯🍯🍯🐝🌻
🐝🐝🐝
I wonder if that’s where the term pain in the as comes form
Do you know if their was a term or phrase for a numismatist/ coin dealer back in the Greco-Roman period or would the aforementioned occupations in the video also account for that
Numismatics started developing around the 14th century. There were certainly coin collectors in the past, some argue Emperor Augustus himself was a collector, but there arent any records of actual numismatists or coin dealers from ancient times.
@@ClassicalNumismatics after looking more at the responsibilities if there were numismatic coin dealers, they would likely be a ARGENTARI. Cool video hope to see more
The magnifying glass held by the Nummularii is an anachronism. However, they may have used rock crystal shards in the same function. PS. I remember a gladiator movie as a child that featured a wristwatch!
How did people in the past know the exact purity of a coin? For example, two coins of 40% silver and 50% silver would look quite similar to the human eye. How can the exact chemical composition be known before modern science?
Silver has a very specific weight and density, therefore, when put on a container with water, one can easily tell apart a fine silver coin, from one with copper or other metals of different density mixed in
It is also true that silver has a much milder taste than copper. I think that a money changer in ancient times had very trained taste buds…. (theory)
@@ClassicalNumismatics The density difference between silver and copper is actually not that great, 10.5 g/cm3 vs 8.9 g/cm3; and given how small some of the coins were, weighing sometimes just a few grams, plus the imprecision of measurements at the time, it must have led to large margins of error. I am not saying that it wasn't one of the methods used, but there must have been other ways to deal with the uncertainties that precise density measurements with rudimentary methods entail.
@ClassicalNumismatics can we find such containers in musea or was a simple natural recipient used for this purpose ?
@@thepuppetofchaos8742best way to get some sickness...
Argyramoivoi it is pronounced in Greek Argyramivi.
Trapezitai = Trapezite.
Oi=i
Ai=e.
Thank you for the clarification, Ill keep it in mind for the future
The usual suspects.
3:50 how about 12.5%
They were mostly jewish I'm sure
Most records of bankers in Rome seem to indicate they were native Romans, that most likely practiced the traditional Roman faith. There was no problem with usury in ancient Rome
boo
booooo
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