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- They had a face value of $0.005 (0.5 cent), the smallest US coin denomination, and a composition of 100 percent copper.
www.coins-auctioned.com/learn/us-coins-and-currency/early-american-copper-coinsEarly American Copper Coins: The Birth of a Nation's Currency
When the two areas were united under the dukes of Burgundy and later under the Habsburgs, the rate of the mijt was set at 1/32 stuiver. More important, they were the very smallest copper coins. By 1611, they were no longer minted, but they were still in circulation.
- “Parva Ne Pereant”
- Adventures in Greek Metrology
- Electrum Fractions
- The Littlest Romans
- The Widow’s Mite
- Collecting The Tiniest Ancient Coins
- Notes
- References
IN 2014, THE British Royal Mint issued a gold proof 50p coin only eight mm in diameter*, weighing in at 1/40 Troy ounce (0.8 grams.) This is the smallest coin the UK has ever struck and surely one of the smallest modern coins. For comparison, the smallest coin the United States Mint has ever produced–the U.S. gold dollar, struck in several designs ...
Metrology is the study of weights and measures. With relentlessly logical minds, but lacking the advantage of decimal notation, ancient Greeks created systems of weights based on simple fractions. These became the basis of their coinage denominations. Let’s start with the silver drachma of the Athenian or “Attic” standard, weighing 4.3 grams. For c...
To find the tiniest ancients we have to go even further back in time, to the electrum coinage of Lydia and the Greek cities of Asia Minor. Like most questions in classical numismatics, the dating of these coins is controversial, but circa 650 BCE is the earliest guess for unmarked types and ca. 630-620 for types stamped with designs. The weight sta...
The practical Romans had little use for impractically tiny coins. The smallest regular imperial denomination until the mid-second century CE was the copper quadrans, worth 1/16 of a silver denarius. At 15 mm diameter and about two grams, it is roughly comparable to the modern euro cent (16.25 mm, 2.27 g). In the King James Bible (1611), the English...
Any discussion of tiny ancient coins would be woefully incomplete without mentioning the Biblical “Widow’s Mite.” As told in the Gospel of Luke: And He looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And He said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow...
In 1964 the British numismatist Colin Kraay(1918-1982) wrote: “Unless there was a supply of low value coins sufficient for the needs of daily retail trade, coinage cannot have been used in anything like the way with which we are familiar today. …the great majority of ancient coins reach us through hoards, which represent deliberate accumulations of...
In The Wasps (lines 790-1), Philocleon puts fish scales into his mouth, thinking they are coins. When he goes home with his jury pay under his tongue, his daughter (lines 608-9) manages to get it away from him with a welcoming kiss! Uelpides (The Birds, 503) swallows an obol when he is startled.
Gardner, Percy. “Coinage of the Athenian Empire”, Journal of Hellenic Studies33. (1913) Hendin, David. Guide to Biblical Coins, 5th edition. New York, (2010) Kraay. Colin M. “Hoards, Small Change and the Origin of Coinage”, Journal of Hellenic Studies84. (1964) Linzalone, Joseph. Electrum and the Invention of Coinage. Dennis McMillan (2011) Weather...
- Mike Markowitz
Nov 30, 2013 · In 1860, the large, pure copper coins were replaced with smaller and lighter equivalents coined in a bronze alloy. These were immediately successful and were coined in most years through 1901. The “Bun Head” of Victoria was replaced by the “Veiled Head” beginning in 1895.
Development of the Copper Coinage. Although the most celebrated copper alloy coin - the brass farthing - never existed, both the pure and alloyed metal have, with silver coins, formed the basis of the British coinage.
Dec 2, 2013 · These copper pieces were made a legal tender by the General Assembly in May of 1682. They came in two sizes, the larger ones being valued at one-half penny and the smaller coins at a farthing, or one-quarter penny.
Feb 3, 2024 · Nearly all of the early American copper coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. These have no mint mark, but they’re often referred to with a “P” like “1794-P Liberty Cap cent.” The only exceptions are the 1908-S and 1909-S Indian Head cents minted in San Francisco.
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Charles II (1660-1685) first produced copper halfpence and farthings in 1672. Minting began on August 5th with the production of farthings on four presses. A fifth press was used for halfpence but production of those coins did not begin until after Christmas.
