<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tetartemorion </Td> <Td> 1 / 4 obol </Td> <Td> 0.18 grams </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Hemitartemorion </Td> <Td> 1⁄2 tetartemorion </Td> <Td> 0.09 grams </Td> </Tr> <P> The first known coins were issued in either Lydia or Ionia in Asia Minor at some time before 600 BC, either by the non-Greek Lydians for their own use or perhaps because Greek mercenaries wanted to be paid in precious metal at the conclusion of their time of service, and wanted to have their payments marked in a way that would authenticate them . These coins were made of electrum, an alloy of gold and silver that was highly prized and abundant in that area . By the middle of the 6th century BC, technology had advanced, making the production of pure gold and silver coins simpler . Accordingly, King Croesus introduced a double metal standard that allowed for coins of pure gold and pure silver to be struck and traded in the marketplace . </P> <P> The Greek world was divided into more than two thousand self - governing city - states (in Greek, poleis), and more than half of them issued their own coins . Some coins circulated widely beyond their polis, indicating that they were being used in inter-city trade; the first example appears to have been the silver stater or didrachm of Aegina that regularly turns up in hoards in Egypt and the Levant, places which were deficient in silver supply . As such coins circulated more widely, other cities began to mint coins to this "Aeginetan" weight standard of (6.1 grams to the drachm), other cities included their own symbols on the coins . </P>

In 7th century bce which city made the first ever coin