Algeria: -213
Réunion and Mauritius: 1779
Seychelles: 1948
Saint Helena: 1821
Comoro Islands: 1891
Eritrea: 1890
Ghana: 1796
Madagascar: 1883
Somalia: 1909
Niger: 1960
Mali: 1960
Sierra Leone: 1791
-----
NORTH AMERICA:
United States of America: 1652
Canada: 1670/1805-1815/1851
Mexico: 1536
Cuba: 1741
Bahamas: 1806
Haiti: 1793
Jamaica: 1757
Bermuda: 1616
St. Pierre and Miquelon: 1948
Panama: 1580
------
SOUTH AMERICA:
Brazil: 1645
------
OCEANIA AND AUSTRALIA:
Australia: 1800
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: 1913
New Zealand: 1857
Hawaii: 1847
Papua New Guinea: 1894
French Polynesia: 1843
Tasmania: 1855
Anyway, I'm going to go for an easy one; Australia, for example had it's first "Proclamation" coinage issued fairly recently, by British settlers in 1800, with an inflated nominal value over the values of imported coins; those were British cartwheel pennies, Indian rupees, etc.: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/australia_colonial-1.html
Unless you count the items used as currency by Australian Aboriginals, like the good old cowry shells: https://www.ramint.gov.au/story/indigenous-currency
(It'll be interesting to see how many places have "cowry shell" as their earliest form of currency here)
In Brazil the first locally minted coins were the gold florins made by the Dutch when they occupied the northeastern region in the mid XVII century, followed by their silver stuivers.
An interesting read, thanks for sharing. Until I took on the role of catalogue referee, I knew very little about Celtic coinage and I still know very little but am trying to learn more since to me it is a fascinating subject, the early origins of the coin in my pocket.
However, I'm not quite sure how we went from the information contained in the above article to the statement at the top of the thread, "United Kingdom: 493-570". From what I have read on the link and elsewhere, I think it would be more accurate to use a date of ca. 120 B.C, for the earliest Celtic coinage struck in Britain.
Just because you can't see it ... doesn't mean it isn't there - Anon.
An interesting read, thanks for sharing. Until I took on the role of catalogue referee, I knew very little about Celtic coinage and I still know very little but am trying to learn more since to me it is a fascinating subject, the early origins of the coin in my pocket.
However, I'm not quite sure how we went from the information contained in the above article to the statement at the top of the thread, "United Kingdom: 493-570". From what I have read on the link and elsewhere, I think it would be more accurate to use a date of ca. 120 B.C, for the earliest Celtic coinage struck in Britain.
Very welcome Rick!
Yes, I see it's been corrected now; those Celtic coins would definitely have been before Christ.
Both those sources seem to imply the first coins used on modern French territory were from around 500 BC, and were used by Greek colonies like Massalia (now Marseille) on the Mediterranean coast, that made their way north and eventually ended up being imitated by the local Celts and Gauls. The Roman conquest of Le Midi (southern France) around 120 BC gives rise to accounts saying there was "numerous and diverse coinage in use".
Latvia: this one is a little harder. Mints in Piltene, Dorpat, and Riga would be the best contenders, but there is some uncertainty about the date of the earliest coin minted at Riga (for the Bishopric of Riga). Even so, the earliest it could have been was 1199 (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces139635.html).
However, if that coin was actually minted under Nikolaus's reign, the earliest date would have been 1229. That means two coins minted at Dorpat for the Bishopric of Dorpat actually have an earlier date-range, starting in 1224 (here is one: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces143257.html).
Quote: "Sulfur"Sardinia: not quite 1291. Under the Vandal Kingdom, Sardinia minted a coin that was intended to serve as local change. It was first minted in 484: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces145701.html.
About Sardinia, the earliest issues i know about are from a Carthaginian colony on the island from 264BC
Added many!
Iraq: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces71507.html clay tokens used in the heartlands of Mesopotamia. Quite interesting that people on numista actually owns these ancient tokens.
Still wondering what is the first coin used in Svalbard. Also, europe: Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Smaller states like Monaco and Vatican, all the balkans, Malta, Scandinavia, many more and of course Russia.
Quote: "Monninen1"Still wondering what is the first coin used in Svalbard. Also, europe: Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Smaller states like Monaco and Vatican, all the balkans, Malta, Scandinavia, many more and of course Russia.
Quote: "Monninen1"Still wondering what is the first coin used in Svalbard. Also, europe: Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Smaller states like Monaco and Vatican, all the balkans, Malta, Scandinavia, many more and of course Russia.
Finland and Norway both minted their first coin in 995. According to Archie Tonkin's myntbok 2016, there was no coins minted in Sweden before 994. That means the first Swedish coin may have been minted in about 994 or 995, too.
The Canadian mint opened in 1908 so the first Canadian government mintage is 1908. Prior to that Canadian coins were minted in England. Pre-confederation banks and businesses issued tokens. Hudson Bay Company the oldest chartered company in the world had their own tokens for the fur trade and goods. As a maratime nation just about anything circulated, French, Spanish, Portugese and American.
Public accounts were legislated to be done in dollars and cents in 1851 as opposed to the British pound shilling system. The province of Canada ordered decimal coinage for 1858/9. The other provinces followed with their own issues. They were all minted in England at the Royal Mint. Some at the Heaton mint have the H mint mark on them.
Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949. Their coinage was produced in England except during WWII. Mint mark of C indicated they were made in Ottawa.
For me the first Canadian coin is the 1858 1 cent coin. First Canadian made coins are the issue of 1908.
We are such a young nation compared to European and Asian nations.
For Haiti, as its referee I would say 1793; there was a type of 1 Sous minted for Saint Domingue (the French colonial name for French Hispaniola), which is listed in French colonies: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces72572.html
Other French colonial coins possibly dated earlier also circulated in Haiti, but they were neither minted in Haiti nor were their circulation limited to Haiti.
And for France, no need to mention the -120 date; that's just when the Romans started moving in. Just around -500 will do.
For Switzerland the oldest coins I found were from the celtic tribes, dated from 3rd-2nd century BC, so let's say 200 BC.
For Italy the monetary system under the Roman Republic began around 430BC, but there were also greek coins struck in the italian peninsula. I think 470BC is more or less accurate.
For Mauritius and Réunion, it would be this coin from 1779 (as the French colonies referred to as the Isles de France (now Mauritius) et de Bourbon (now Réunion)) https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces16389.html
Seychelles is sometimes considered to be part of the French colonies administered as Isles de France et de Bourbon/Bonaparte, since it was given to the British in 1814 from France; so you could consider the 1779 date above, but I believe 1948 (when the first British colonial coins were minted specifically for it) should be used.
China : "Coins" as we usually describe them began to be cast around 350 BC but there was also spade money since 650 BC. I don't know if we consider them as coins in this list. If yes, China = 650BC, if no, China = 350BC.
Quote: "Monninen1"Also added Comoro Islands and San Marino. (unsure)
Monaco, Croatia, Macedonia and Andorra seem harder
Monaco: This coin it seems, from 1660: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces24362.html
Unless you want to count Greek colonial, Roman, etc. coinage that circulated in, but was not minted specifically for Monaco before that.
French Polynesia: Technically the first coins minted for "French Oceania" were in 1949 (with 1948 essais), but in 1843 and 1844 coins now catalogued under the "French colonies" in Numista were minted for use in the Marquesas islands, now part of French Polynesia: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces3665.html
Panama: This one would be 1904; the territory of modern day Panama was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru under Spanish rule, then part of Colombia until 1903. No coins were minted specifically for it until the year after it's 1903 US backed independence.
Added many!
Iraq: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces71507.html clay tokens used in the heartlands of Mesopotamia. Quite interesting that people on numista actually owns these ancient tokens.
Still wondering what is the first coin used in Svalbard. Also, europe: Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Smaller states like Monaco and Vatican, all the balkans, Malta, Scandinavia, many more and of course Russia.
What about Anglesey? Is it https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces18006.html ?
Anglesey is part of the UK , just off the coast of north wales, most of there history they would be using British coinage.
the druid copper token would be the only coins ever issued attributed to Angelsey to pay the workers working in the copper mines, so it has to be the first and last Angelsey coin
This link explains why these coins where produced ( made not on Isle of Angelsey but the British mainland) interesting all the same -
Quote: "ThePoet"The Canadian mint opened in 1908 so the first Canadian government mintage is 1908. Prior to that Canadian coins were minted in England.
For me the first Canadian coin is the 1858 1 cent coin. First Canadian made coins are the issue of 1908.
We are such a young nation compared to European and Asian nations.
The Mint opened in 1908 as a branch of the London Mint. It became the Royal Canadian Mint only in the early 1930s when we formally gained our independence from Great Britain.
It could be argued that the first official coinages of British North America were the PEI holed Spanish dollars of 1813, or else the 1815 Magdalen Islands penny tokens since they were issued by Isaac Coffin who was in charge of the islands for the British crown.
EDIT
Monninen, you say for Canada:
Quote: "Monninen1"This is a lot harder. The oldest I could find was 1805.
Is this the 1805 HIBERNIA token? It was actually struck for Ireland, but some found their way into British North America. So it wouldn't count.
For Taiwan (the Republic of China), the first coins issued by the ROC on Taiwan would be 1949; although there were cash coins from the Qing dynasty made for and on the island of Taiwan, I am not sure if you count those as part of the history of the political entity of the ROC on Taiwan today.
By the way are you counting non currency items like cowry stones, spade/knife money, etc?
If not then I don't think you should count Rai stones from Yap island for Micronesia.
Quote: "CassTaylor"By the way are you counting non currency items like cowry stones, spade/knife money, etc?
If not then I don't think you should count Rai stones from Yap island for Micronesia.
Thats a problem. I have thought about it as for example cowries etc. have been used in multiple places in asia and oceania for example. I could mention those somewhere else in the first post when this is ready. I will remove "Micronesia (Yap): 500" and maybe add it when everything else is ready, in, maybe "primitive currency" or something.
For Panama the date should actually be 1580; a tiny mint was set up by Spanish authorities there but questionable practices meant the mint closed down in 1583. Only around 70 coins from i are known as of today: http://www.rhinocoins.com/spain/fil2na.html
Crimea: circa -537 (or slightly later), the first issues of Pantikapaion (modern Kerch) Russia without Crimea: circa -528, the first issues of Hermonassa (modern Taman, just across the strait from Kerch)
- the Hermonassa coins, which are anepigraphic, are sometimes attributed to areas on the Crimean side of the strait; if so, the first clearly in Russia (and not Crimea) appear to be the circa -435 issues of Sindica (modern Black Sea coast of Russia - not sure where exactly).
I'll try to figure out Ukraine without Crimea later (it's also probably 6th century BC, but I'm not sure when exactly, and several types of proto-money show up).
Somalia: Italian colonial coinage from 1909: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/somalie_italienne-1.html
There might have been local pre-colonial coinage minted by the various sultanates, but I'm not aware of any made only in modern Somali territory.
Will try again for Canada. I went to the library and was going to take out a Krause book but found this: Striking Impressions The Royal Canadian Mint and Canadian Coinage by Dr. James Haxby published 1984 ISBN 0-660-11563-8
Dr. Haxby attributes the first coins minted for use in the colony of New France that would eventually become Canada to be the 1670 French Colonies silver 15 sols made at the Paris mint. The next coin was the 1721 French Colonies copper 9 deniers from La Rochelle mint. They were minted for all the French Colonies so they circulated in Louisiana which would make them part of the American coinage too.
Haxby goes on and notes a 1790 copper half penny requested by Governor Simcoe for Upper Canada. There is no image of it given in the book. I did a search for said penny and found a reference to an American Numismatic Society article on Canada's Money. It talks about a mint in Birmingham, Boulton Watt & Co. They designed and struck specimens but Simcoe was recalled before the project completed and it seems the coin was not issued. The article says this was the first coin struck with Canada on it. It is called the Copper Company of Upper Canada Token and dated 1794. I am confused to why two dates are mentioned and are they speaking about the same thing.
Now back to Haxby, he describes the first functional coinage made in Canada as Prince Edward Island ordering the modification of 8 reale coins by cutting a hole in the center. The plug became a shilling and the holey dollar passed as 5 shillings. They were counter stamped with a 10 pointed sun and were legal tender. This was done in 1813.
Haxby also talks about the blacksmith cooper sou tokens but the date he gives is later, 1830's.
Bank tokens were also mentioned in the ANS article and attributes Boulton Watt as the mint that made them.
So take your pick, the 1670 sol is a good Candidate but not minted in the colony. Prince Edward Island manufactured their coin but it was a coin minted somewhere else. The upper Canada token was first with Canada on it but not a reference to the state of Canada that was created in 1867 and it was not legal tender as it was not sanctioned by the Home Government.
Again I will offer my thought that the decimal coinage of 1858 is the start of Canadian coins for me.
The first coins officially exported from France for use in French North America, per Walter Breen, were the billon older coins that were called in and counterstamped with a fleur-de-lis in a beaded oval in 1640.
Additional coinages in 1641 and 1658 had a full obverse design, with the fleur-de-lis counterstamp and oval included in the design.
These were in circulation long before the 1670 issues.
Bermuda:
The first coinage for the British North American colonies was the Sommer Islands (Bermuda) issues of circa 1616.
United States:
The oldest coinage struck in the United States is the New England (NE) coinage of 1652. All the other issues of Massachusetts silver dated 1652 (Willow Tree, Oak Tree and Pine Tree) were struck later and backdated to 1652.
Quote: "halfdisme"Canada:
The first coins officially exported from France for use in French North America, per Walter Breen, were the billon older coins that were called in and counterstamped with a fleur-de-lis in a beaded oval in 1640.
Additional coinages in 1641 and 1658 had a full obverse design, with the fleur-de-lis counterstamp and oval included in the design.
These were in circulation long before the 1670 issues.
Bermuda:
The first coinage for the British North American colonies was the Sommer Islands (Bermuda) issues of circa 1616.
United States:
The oldest coinage struck in the United States is the New England (NE) coinage of 1652. All the other issues of Massachusetts silver dated 1652 (Willow Tree, Oak Tree and Pine Tree) were struck later and backdated to 1652.
Haxby does not mention the billion coins until 1711. He says the first attempt to solve the currency problems specifically in New France is the French Colonies issue. Were the billion coins just for the colonies or did they circulate in France too? The Colonies coins were not legal tender in France and could not purchase supplies there. This helped to restrict them to the colonies. One reason they were not well accepted.
It becomes what do you consider the definition of oldest coin to be. And which scholar do you wish to follow? When did commerce get to the point were coinage was needed for transactions? Surely some of the crew on Cartier's ships carried coins with them but we are not likely to consider that as first coin as it would never have circulated.
I agree that the counterstamp on the 1640 coins makes a good case for them. Anything done to make them identifiable in the territory like the PEI modification makes them a good candidate. So can we get a date older than 1640?
QuoteHaxby does not mention the billion coins until 1711. He says the first attempt to solve the currency problems specifically in New France is the French Colonies issue. Were the billion coins just for the colonies or did they circulate in France too? The Colonies coins were not legal tender in France and could not purchase supplies there. This helped to restrict them to the colonies. One reason they were not well accepted.
It becomes what do you consider the definition of oldest coin to be. And which scholar do you wish to follow? When did commerce get to the point were coinage was needed for transactions? Surely some of the crew on Cartier's ships carried coins with them but we are not likely to consider that as first coin as it would never have circulated.
I agree that the counterstamp on the 1640 coins makes a good case for them. Anything done to make them identifiable in the territory like the PEI modification makes them a good candidate. So can we get a date older than 1640?
Breen does not specifically state that the 1640 counterstamps could not be spent in France. He does state that they were of greater value in Canada, and he refers to an Edict of June 1640. (However, since the coins were called in, it would lead to the assumption that they were no longer legal tender in France.)
Breen indicates that the most common host for the counterstamp was the billon issue of 1618, but that the host coins included coins dating back into the Middle Ages. These were the first "Sols Marques".
I have seen a few of the 1640 counterstamps--one of them on an older coin of Avignon.
Breen talks of them disappearing from commerce, requiring additional and larger mintages. If they were not legal tender in France, this could mean that they were melted down, and the bullion shipped back to France (my conjecture).
Obviously, much of the commerce in French North America was barter, involving furs. From what I have read, the primary need for money was in order to pay the troops (read about the Playing Card Money, and why it was issued--and redeemed when the next shipment of coinage arrived from France.)
Quote: "ThePoet"I agree that the counterstamp on the 1640 coins makes a good case for them. Anything done to make them identifiable in the territory like the PEI modification makes them a good candidate. So can we get a date older than 1640?
Breen lists a number of French coin types that he entitles "Class 4"--unofficially imported by merchants to pass in Canada at double their face values. He indicates that the coins on his list have been found in Canadian coin hoards or mentioned in official revaluation orders.
The oldest date that he mentions is a double tournois dated 1611.
Of these dates, I would recommend 1640 , the date for coins officially exported for use in New France.
Quote: "VintageCoin"Macedonia
1993 first edition of coins ...
Only for modern coinage. Alexander the Great, and his father Philip, minted Macedonian coins--and I do not know how much earlier they had coinage.
There were definitely coins minted for the territory that comprises the modern sovereign state of Macedonia, from long before 1993, but I'm not sure how much of that modern state overlaps with the historical extent of the ancient Kingdom of Macedonia.
This is the exact same thing that's causing the naming dispute between itself and Greece right now.
Quote: "Monninen1"What is the first coin minted in every country of the world? Let's find them!
I assume that you really mean "first coin minted for use in each country..."
There are many countries that have coinage that was not minted in their country, especially British Commonwealth nations and the countries for which coins were minted in Franklin Mint, Pobjoy Mint, or the U.S. Mints.
For the countries, do you use the actual name?
Or the name of that country, when the coin was minted.
I think of countries like Ceylon-Sri lanka, Birma-Myanmar, Zaïre-Congo-Belgian Congo, Belgium-Low Countries-France....
Non est totum quod splendet ut aurum
Rijkdom bestaat niet uit het hebben van veel bezittingen, maar in het hebben van weinig behoeften
Quote: "CassTaylor"=1emFor Haiti, as its referee I would say 1793; there was a type of 1 Sous minted for Saint Domingue (the French colonial name for French Hispaniola), which is listed in French colonies: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces72572.html
Other French colonial coins possibly dated earlier also circulated in Haiti, but they were neither minted in Haiti nor were their circulation limited to Haiti.
In Gadoury's of French colonial coins, he indicates that the 1 sol 1793 was actually backdated, and was issued 1802-1809.
There is a series of counterstamped silver coins, denominated in escalins, from the village of Le Cap, that date from 1781-1802.
I hope you do not feel that I am trying to "bust your chops" with minutiae regarding your list; there are parameters that every "one per location" collector has had to address, in assembling a collection.
For example, for a Roman coin from the mint in London--
Is it early British, or just a different mint of the Roman Empire?
If the latter, is it in a different light during the period when a usurper managed to break away with Britain and part of Western Europe?
Does the coin have to minted in that country (very limiting), and legal tender only in that country?
