Coins were first invented around 2600 years ago in Asia Minor, near the Aegian Sea. And although the first coins were rather crude-looking, they soon became very elaborate and showy. These ancient coins were primarily minted in the various city-states of Ancient Greece, and these ancient Greek coins are objects of miniature art. It seems that the knowhow already existed - there were for instance artisans skilled in the art of engraving images in semi-precious stone. Now, this skill was applied to the engraving of images in the die stamps used for coinage. The ancients used either iron or a special type of bronze, which could be hardened, for those die stamps.

The ancient Greeks produced art objects that we still marvel at today, some in a grand scale like the temple of Parthenon. But also in the miniature scale, as in coin images, they exhibit an incredible skill. It seems they produced their best work during the fifth century BC, when the city-states were still independent and their coinage likely was a source of civic pride. So highly valued was the art of making beautiful coins, that in some cases the engravers were allowed to include their name on the coin’s surface, as part of the design, much like a painter today will sign their name on the canvas.

Examples of stunning ancient Greek coins are many. Take for instance the coins made by the city of Syracuse, on Cicily, during the early fifth century BC. They often have a portrait of a sea nymph; Arethusa, on one side of the coin. This portrait can be executed with a marvelous artistic mastery. While there is an overall boldness in the design, there is also a meticulous attention to detail. Sometimes the portrait is in side view, as is the custom with such images; but in some cases the nymph is shown facing you. This is done so that the face really leaps out of the coin’s surface and creates a stunning effect. Yes, ancient Greek coins, at their best, are indeed just as fantastic as any other art objects produced by the Greeks during the classical era.