How Coins of the World Teach You History Differently
ď‚— History can be studied in many ways. You can
either refer history books written and interpreted in different ways by various historians or you can start studying about coins of the world. ď‚— The problem with the first technique is that, you can never be sure of the facts until you yourself dig into the evidence. But through numismatics, you take a more a scientific approach towards learning history.
ď‚— The earliest coins from around the world were
struck In Lydia, somewhere in 5th Century BCE. Before coinage was introduced to the world, people used to trade with each other using the barter system. ď‚— In a barter system, the value of a commodity was compared with the value of another commodity based on different factors such as availability, rarity, dependability etc. However, there was a need to introduce a standard, and coinage brought in that standard.
ď‚— Over the years, valuable coins from around
the world were struck in different metals featuring several interesting designs. These coin designs and inscriptions gave an identity to kingdoms and empires. ď‚— Many designs featured on ancient world coins highlight the traditions and cultures that were promoted by a particular kingdom.
ď‚— Coins of the world also offer an insight on the
evolution of various languages across the world. By analysing coin designs one can understand the level of artistry and economic progress of a certain empire. ď‚— Many of these valuable coins from around the world were struck to commemorate special events and conquests. You will easily be able to track the succession of rulers in a particular dynasty or the chronological order of certain historic events by studying world coins.
Instead of teaching kids history the traditional
way, they should be encouraged to build a world coin collection. This way, they will enjoy the subject even more when they get a chance to physically hold a piece of history in their hands. So, start collecting valuable coins from around the world and discover new facts which you wouldn’t have otherwise by reading history books.