Neil S Berman - Expert Numismatist & Gold Coin Dealer

Gold Coins Trade through History

Lydian Gold Stater

Lydian Gold Stater. Perhaps first made around 700BCE according to Herodotus, the Greek historian. He is said to have written that the Lydian’s “are the first people we know to mint and use coins of gold and silver” as quoted by William Jacob in 1831. They were about eight grams of gold, and were made in mass quantity, making them possibly the first international gold trade coin in the world. They were made between 700BC until perhaps 510BC, about one hundred ninety years more or less, and are known to have circulated at least locally and possibly regionally. The Stater was discontinued and replaced by the gold Daric a few years after Darius of Persia overran the kingdom.