A Timeline Of Money

We have selected 10 events from the last 4000 years to show how our use of money has changed over time.





Money Timeline

2000 BC - The first coins, pieces of bronze shaped like cattle appeared.

650 BC - The first coins with their value imprinted on them were first made. These were produced in Lydia (present day Turkey).

336 BC - The first coin showing a head of state is minted featuring the face of Alexander the Great.

757 - The pound as a currency originated in the kingdom of Mercia, now the middle of England.

806 - Paper money is invented and briefly used in China.

1279 - A mint is built in the Tower of London and remained there for 500 years.

1967 - The first cash machine was installed at Barclays Bank in Enfield Town.

1983 - The first (modern) £1 coin is produced. It is estimated there are now over 1.5 billion of these in circulation, although 3% of these coins are thought to be fake!

1999 - Two companies, Confinity and X.com launched their payment websites.  These merged in March 2000 to form PayPal.

2011 - The first phones appeared that allowed contactless payments to be made from your mobile.