The history of money begins around 2500 years ago with the first minting of coinage in about the seventh to sixth century BC. Money is any clearly identifiable object of value that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts within a market or which is legal tender within a country.
Since ancient times people have swapped items of value either in the exchange of gifts or else in markets where a commonly shared system of tokens is more convenient.
Many things have been exchanged in markets including, for example, livestock and sacks of cereal grain (from which the Shekel is derived) - things directly useful in themselves, but also sometimes merely attractive items such as cowry shells or beads were exchanged for more useful commodities. Precious metals from which early coins were made, fall into this second category.
Numismatics is the scientific study of money and its history in all its varied forms.
Read more about History Of Money: The Emergence of Money, Commodity Money, Trade Bills of Exchange, Tallies, Goldsmith Bankers, Demand Deposits, Banknotes, Fiat Money
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