When examining the coins of Anatolia, we can classify our geography according to 16 ancient regions generally accepted by authorities. The history of coinage began approximately 2,700 years ago in these lands, in Anatolia. The first coins, minted from electrum—an alloy of gold and silver extracted from the rich rivers of the Kingdom of Lydia—were not just the invention of a medium of exchange, but also a revolution of "trust" and "state authority."

This revolutionary idea quickly spread to the wealthy Ionian city-states of Western Anatolia, such as Miletus, Ephesus, and Phocaea. Each city declared its own identity and autonomy by striking its symbol—the seal, the bee, the eagle, the owl—onto these small metal discs.

This idea was rapidly adopted by all civilizations. With Ancient Greek, Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations also minting coins, this first Anatolian step changed world history forever.