Start hereDictionarySearch
English
日本語English中文ItalianoFrançaisDeutschEspañol
Sign in Fees and how to study
NOMISMA
Read history Money history: the world and JapanBubbles, frauds and financial crisesPeople who changed moneyReadingsSee all of Read history
Understand how money works Banks and depositsInterest, prices and exchange ratesCash and digital paymentsHistory's lessons for today's decisionsSee all of Understand how money works
Look at coins Browse by photoImages, letters and materialsCare, storage and tradingSee all of Look at coins
Start hereDictionarySearch
Fees and how to study Sign in
Language
日本語English中文ItalianoFrançaisDeutschEspañol

electrum

エレクトロン　—　Measuring

An alloy in which gold and silver are mixed by nature.

Electrum trite Electrum triteBC 610–560 Croeseid Croeseidc. BC 550
A photograph of what this word names.

⚠ The earliest coins were made of this metal. As a natural alloy, the proportion of gold and silver is not constant. The problem of "not knowing the content just by looking" necessitated a guarantee by means of a stamp.