The first known coins were minted in what is now Turkey in the mid-7th Century BC. The concept of coins revolutionized the conduct of commerce as the coins were durable and portable compared to barter systems that depended on exchange of goods.

Coins as a medium of payment became commonplace across the area, usually minted from gold or silver but also from metals like bronze and copper. When Alexander the Great swept across the region in the 4th Century BC, he brought about the next great change in the idea of how money worked – a regulated and universal coinage throughout his vast empire.

Both the Greek and Roman empires followed the same practice, making coinage a more universal language than any spoken tongue. No matter where the coins were minted, almost without exception they were engraved with likenesses of rulers or deities.

The idea of collecting antique coins is thought to have started during the Renaissance in Europe. Renaissance Europe was obsessed with Classical Greek and Roman art, architecture, customs and memorabilia; and collections of Greek and Roman coinage became a widespread pursuit of the wealthy. Its popularity has never waned. Monarchs, heads of state, dignitaries and celebrities both famous and infamous have avidly collected the precious pieces of the world’s history.