Silver and Pb isotope variations reflect processes that are unrelated in nature. As a fingerprinting tool for historical and archaeological applications, Ag isotopes are free from the uncertainties often afflicting Pb isotopes when it comes to untangling silver extraction and recycling (Brill and Shields 1972). Silver isotopes hold the potential of adding a new dimension to the understanding of early economies first and foremost because silver is a metal of monetary interest and not only another isotopic tracer. The present study uses Ag and Pb isotopes to further inform the debate by investigating the transition between two modes of silver utilization around the Mediterranean: an early mode in which silver was considered as a simple commodity and traded by weight, and a later monetary mode. In the long run, however, the spread of coinage is also undoubtedly linked to the explosion of Greek mercenary service in the late sixth–fifth centuries, but to an extent that varies with the period and the local political circumstances (Krasilnikoff 1992 De 2019 Trundle 2004). Some consider that minting facilitated trade (Kim and Kroll 2008 Davis 2012), and, indeed, the abundance of shipwrecks in the Mediterranean as a proxy for economic performance correlates with Pb peaks observed in the Arctic ice (Parker 1992). The rise of monetized silver in the late sixth and fifth centuries bce in the Eastern Mediterranean can be interpreted in different ways. The most obvious traces of its extraction can be seen in the contamination of ice and peat bogs all the way to the Arctic (Hong et al. Silver has been highly prized in the Mediterranean and Near East region for millennia. After defeating the Carthaginians and the Macedonians in the late second century bce, the Romans brought together the efficient, millennium‐old techniques of silver extraction of the Phoenicians, who considered this metal a simple commodity, with the monetization of the economy introduced by the Greeks. Massive Ag recupellation is observed in Rome during the Second Punic War. The Greek world extracted Ag and Pb from associated ores, whereas, on the Iberian Peninsula, Carthaginians and Republican‐era Romans applied Phoenician cupellation techniques and added exotic Pb to Pb‐poor Ag ores. The combined analysis of Ag and Pb isotopes reveals important information about the technology of smelting. The clear relationships observed between 109Ag/ 107Ag and 208Pb/ 206Pb reflect the mixing of silver ores or silver objects with Pb metal used for cupellation. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. From 1965-1969, the Kennedy Half Dollar's silver content decreased to 40% and the popularity for this history-making half dollar slowly decreased.The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. The only Kennedy Half Dollars, that featured a 90% silver purity, were the ones minted in the first year of issue in 1964. The main series this change affected most severely was the brand new Kennedy Half Dollars. In 1965, the US Mint strived to decrease production costs, exchanging out the beloved 90% silver for 40% silver. 40% SilverĪll good things come to an end, which was the case for the 90% silver coinage. Some of the 90% silver coins include, but are not limited to the Morgan Silver Dollar, the Peace Silver Dollar, the Barber series (dime, quarter, and half dollar), the Franklin Half Dollar, the Washington Quarter, the Mercury and Roosevelt Dimes, and the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar. Depending on personal investment goals, investors are drawn to the 90% silver coins since they contain a high percentage of silver and are duly recognized as US coinage. 90% Silverĩ0% silver is not only a fading remnant of American history but also has an influential role in the silver market today. Since the Junk Silver coins' content is ranked higher than the coins' actual face value, taking comfort in these coins' intrinsic value can lead to a highly profitable investment. If the rim has a copper tone, then the coin is considered a clad and does not have silver content. If the rim is strictly silver-colored, then the coin contains 90% silver. Collectors can determine if a coin contains silver by focusing on the coin's rim. In 1964 and before, the US minted its coins primarily using a metallic alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper. Junk Silver is a casual term that refers to any silver coin, in circulated condition, and that doesn't have any numismatic value above the market price of silver.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |