Rare Ancient Egyptian Currencies of Historical Significance
The ancient Egyptians were pioneers in currency creation, minting their first currency named “Nub Nefer” during the reign of Pharaoh Takhos around 350 B.C. The term “Nub Nefer” translates to pure gold in the Pharaohs’ lexicon.
The “Nub Nefer” coins featured inscriptions in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and were exclusively used by the upper classes, with strict prohibitions against their circulation among the general populace. Today, only 20 of these rare “Nub Nefer” coins exist globally, making them some of the most famous and valuable currencies of their time. Below is a detailed overview of these remarkable coins:
The Currency of the Egyptian God Khbeir
The ancient Egyptians often depicted images of their deities on coins, including Khbeir, who was featured on some of the earliest coins. His representation sometimes appeared indirectly, notably as a scarab or dung beetle.
The ancients envisioned this rolling insect traversing the sky, imagining Khbeir as a divine beetle pushing the sun across the daylight sky. Consequently, amulets, seals, and rings were frequently made in the shape of scarabs, which were considered sacred symbols associated with their sun deity.
The Ram Currency of Pharaonic Egypt
A gold coin was minted featuring the ram symbol, believed to represent either the sun god Amun-Ra or Khnum, the creator and protector deity often depicted with a ram’s head. Presently, examples of this type of coin can be found in the Brooklyn Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Currency Featuring Isis and Osiris
The deities Isis and Osiris embodied a collection of core ancient Egyptian beliefs, including healing, mysticism, the afterlife, astrology, and the Nile River. Egyptian mythology narrates that Osiris was a primordial pharaoh who was murdered by his jealous brother, who dismembered him; thus, his image was partially mummified on the currency.
Cleopatra’s Currency
Queen Cleopatra had exquisite bronze coins minted with her likeness in Alexandria, Egypt. These coins vividly portrayed the renowned beauty of Cleopatra, making them exceedingly rare. One side of the coin featured her image, while the other showcased an eagle perched upon a thunderbolt.
The Pharaohs’ Use of Metals for Coin Minting
The ancient Egyptians had a profound understanding of the value of metals, as they utilized materials like silver and gold in their jewelry. Consequently, they employed metals such as copper, silver, gold, and iron to create magnificently designed coins with unique styles. This innovation allowed the Pharaohs to trade goods with minted currency instead of relying on bartering.
The Pharaohs assigned values to goods based on their weight compared to the coins, and they often marked their coins with seals to indicate each coin’s worth.
Barter System in Ancient Egyptian Civilization
Similar to other civilizations, ancient Egyptians relied on a barter system for commerce, exchanging goods for goods and services for services. They traded agricultural, animal, food, furniture, and manufactured products until the emergence of a new system involving monetary transactions.
Occasionally, they also used checks as a substitute for direct payments during bartering. These checks and contracts varied, encompassing sales, purchases, taxes, and property, representing another dimension of the barter economy.