Povjesničari su najviše zahvalni antičkim piscima koji su u svojim djelima spominjali
podrijetlo novca. Poluks, pisac iz vremena cara Komoda, pitao se je li prvi novac počeo kovati
Fidon iz Arga, Demokid iz Kume, Atenjanin Erihtanije, žena frigijca Mide ili kći Agamemnona,
kralja Kume. Ksenofan je tvrdio da su prvi novci kovani u Lidiji. Prema danas poznatim
novčanim svjedočanstvima moglo bi se zaključiti da su upravo u Lidiji kovani prvi novci. To
je potvrđeno podatcima Fidona i Herodotovim citatom: „U Lidiji su se prvo kovali zlatni i
srebrni novci“. Smatra se da kovanje prvih zlatnih, srebrnih novaca i novaca od elektruma
(prirodne slitine zlata i srebra) počinje u 7. st. prije Krista. Kao mjesta prvih kovnica najčešće
se spominju područja Lidije i Jonije, smještene u maloj pokrajni zapadne Anatolije, danas
dijela moderne Turske. U najvećem broju literarnih citata spominje se godina 660-ta prije
Krista. Jonija i Lidija bile su posebno poznate po graviranju dragulja i izradi svojih pečata.
Vještina graviranja dragulja bila je vrlo slična vještini izrade kalupa za kovanje novca.
Prvotno su kalupi rađeni od čiste bronce, a kasnije se izrađuju od željeza. Izrada kalupa za
kovanje novaca bila je skupa i teška. Ključni elementi za razvoj prvog monetarnog sustava
bili su dragocjeni metali koji su postupno denominirani i rabljeni su u trgovini. Kralj Krez
iz Lidije kovao je prve srebrne i zlatne novce u Sardu. Bio slavan i poznat po nevjerovatnom
bogatstvu, što svjedoči i danas poznata uzrečica: „bogat kao Krez“. Godine 546. prije Krista
porazio ga je Cirus II. i tada je Lidija došla pod vlast Perzije. Novac kovan nakon pada
Lidije sličan je novcu kovanom za vrijeme vladavine Kreza i razlike je vrlo teško utvrditi.
U ovom radu autor analizira prvenstveno srebrni novac Lidije, navodi i sistematizira sve
denominacije statera iz Lidije. Slikovni prikaz u literaturi do sada nije pregledno opisan.
Većina opisanih novaca pripada privatnoj zbirci autora.Historians are most grateful to ancient writers who mentioned the origin of money
in their works, although not often, and thus enabled them to draw certain conclusions.
Pollux, a writer from the period of the Emperor Commodus, discoursed as to whether
the first money began to be minted by Pheidon of Argos, Demodike (Hermodice) from
Cyme, the wife of the Phrygian King Midas or daughter of King Agamemnon of Cyme.
Xenophanus claimed in his works that the first coins were minted in Lydia. According
to the coin evidence available today, it can be clearly concluded that the first coins were
in fact minted in Lydia, and this is confirmed by the data about Pheidon and the quote
from Herodotus: “In Lydia they first minted gold and silver coins”. It is thought that
the minting of the first coins of gold, silver, and electrum (a natural alloy of gold and
silver) began in the 7th century BC. The site of the first mints is most often considered
to be the area of Lydia and Ionia, located in the small region of western Anatolia, today
a part of modern Turkey, while the date of the start of minting is most often cited as
around 660 BC. Ionia and Lydia were particularly well known for engraving gems and
carving seals and stamps. The skills involved in engraving gems were very similar to
those for engraving dies for minting coins. Originally the dies were made of refined
bronze, while later they were made from iron. Making a die for a coin was both expensive
and difficult. These and certain other elements were crucial for the development of the
first monetary system for which precious metals were utilized, which gradually became
denominated and used in trade. King Croesus of Lydia minted the first silver and gold
coinage in Sardis. He was famous and known for his unbelievable wealth, as is even
today witnessed by the saying: “As rich as Croesus”. He was defeated by Cyrus II in 546
BC, and Lydia then came under the rule of Persia. The coinage minted after the fall of
Lydia is similar to the coinage minted during the reign of Croesus, and the differences
are very hard to establish. In this text, the author analyzes primarily the silver coinage
of Lydia, listing and systemizing all denominations of staters from Lydia along with
illustrative material, which so far has not been clearly outlined in the relevant literature.
The majority of the described coins are from the author’s private collection
