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Coins in the Early days

Notes & Coins in the Early days

Coins may have existed many years before. However according to official records, it was since the reign of King Endybis and Aphilas that Axum was trading with a legal currency issued by its kings for the use of internal and external trade. The coins were of gold, silver, bronze and copper. Upto 1926, there have been about 513 different types of coins that were in circulation and minted by the Axumite kings of different periods. Of these 173 are gold, 18 of silver and 322 of copper as listed by the French Author A. Kanmerer. The coins had the pictures of the rulers surrounded by palm leaves on one side and the rescent on the other side. The British traveler, A. B. Wylde, in Modern Abyssinia, states, "An ear of grain is placed on each side of the head of the king or ruler of the country, and this no doubt represents the eight lined barley of Abyssinia. Some of the coins bear legends in Greek, and the rest in the first Ethiopian written language called Geez. Melvin J. Kohe, in "Ethiopia - Treasure House of Africa" states, " Coins were struck during the reign of 24 sovereigns extending over a period of 750 years.

Ethiopian Notes

No one knows the exact time when minting of coins started in Axum. Some Archeologists endorse the view that Endybis was the first king to introduce gold coins in his name around the third century (.227-235 A.D.). The second king to strike similar coins also in his name was Aphilas.

Axum

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5 Ethiopian Dollars

National Bank of Ethiopa ( 5 birr in Coin form)

The coins bearing the image of kings Endybis and Aplilas are among the evidence that pre Christian Ethiopia had her own currency. After Endybis and Applials each succeeding Axumite sovereign introduced his own coins with his image and insignia.

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