068 Travel, Trade, and Work
The History of Ancient Greece
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The History of Coins
Coins provided a medium of exchange, mostly used by city-states to hire mercenaries and compensate citizens. They were also a source of revenue as foreigners had to exchange their money into the local currency at an exchange rate favorable to the state. The minting of coins lent an air of undeniable prestige to any Greek city-state. Coins have high historical value for scholars because they shed much light on the prosperity of a polis. Their die cutters took such pride in their work that they even signed the dies themselves.
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