Silver Coin
Silver coins are possibly the oldest mass-produced form of coinage. Silver has been used as a coinage metal since the times of the Greeks; their silver drachmas were popular trade coins. The ancient Persians used silver coins between 612-330 BC. Before 1797, British pennies were made of silver.
As with all collectible coins, many factors determine the value of a silver coin, such as its rarity, demand, condition and the number originally minted. Ancient silver coins coveted by collectors include the Denarius and Miliarense, while more recent collectible silver coins include the Morgan Dollar and the Spanish Milled Dollar.
Other than collector's silver coins, silver bullion coins are popular among people who desire a "hedge" against currency inflation or store of value. Silver has an international currency symbol of XAG under ISO 4217.
Read more about Silver Coin: Origins and Early Development of Silver Coins, The Byzantine Empire, The Arabs and Medieval Europe, The Ottoman Empire and Persia, India, The New World, The Peso/dollar and Pacific Trade, Silver Coins of Europe, Recent Silver Coins, Evolution, Why Silver Is Used For Coinage, Silver Coins in Popular Culture, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words silver and/or coin:
“O, let us have him, for his silver hairs
Will purchase us a good opinion,
And buy men’s voices to commend our deeds.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The oft-repeated Roman story is written in still legible characters in every quarter of the Old World, and but today, perchance, a new coin is dug up whose inscription repeats and confirms their fame. Some “Judæa Capta,” with a woman mourning under a palm tree, with silent argument and demonstration confirms the pages of history.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)