Heads or tales

Why were coins invented in the Kingdom of Lydia 2,600 years ago? The latest archaeological findings suggest it was something to do with guaranteeing the amount of gold and silver used in trade in that part of Turkey. The Lydians are credited, if that is the right word, with inventing retail shops, and the first branches of C&A would have wanted to ensure that they were getting a fair exchange for a pair of polyester slacks.

Why were coins invented in the Kingdom of Lydia 2,600 years ago? The latest archaeological findings suggest it was something to do with guaranteeing the amount of gold and silver used in trade in that part of Turkey. The Lydians are credited, if that is the right word, with inventing retail shops, and the first branches of C&A would have wanted to ensure that they were getting a fair exchange for a pair of polyester slacks.

So much for all those other theories, then. Coins were not invented by the young football hooligans of Sardis for throwing at players. Nor were they invented by referees for deciding whether Galatasaray should have the uphill end of the pitch. Nor were they invented by the youth of the kingdom so that they could play Pokémon.

But one question the archaeologists have not yet answered. How did the ancient Anatolians ever manage to open cans of paint or get the batteries out of the backs of alarm clocks?