silver

銀　—　Measuring

More plentiful than gold, and suited to everyday money.

Incuse stater of Metapontum6th century BC Bent-bar silver5th century BCE – 2nd century CE Karshapana (punch-marked silver coin)400–300 BC

⚠ For most of history, what people actually handled was silver. Gold only took the leading role for a brief period in the latter half of the nineteenth century.