Ancient Greek coinage dates back to the beginnings of coining, and coins as a means of payment also have their origins in ancient Greece. Thus, the Greek coin not only plays an important role in numismatics, it even establishes numismatics in a certain way. The ancient Greek coinage extended over nine centuries, whose generations had a noteworthy influence on the development and diversity of the Greek coin. 

Although the first metal money came into use in the Mediterranean region around 2000 BC in the form of bronze domestic animal miniatures, it took until the 7th century BC for coinage to take off in the Greek world. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, coins were introduced as a handy means of payment around 650 BC in Asia Minor. Under the Lydian king Alyattes II, the first coins with a state-guaranteed precious metal content were struck and used in what is now western Turkey. 

The initially simple coin designs with a nodular embossing were made of electrum–- a natural alloy of gold and silver. Alyatte's son, Croesus, the immensely wealthy Lydian king according to legend, had the first coins minted in gold. It was thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of Greek merchants that Greek coinage began to prevail over barter. They spread coinage throughout the Mediterranean in the course of the 6th century.

The first Greek silver coins were minted on the island of Aigina and showed the image of a sea turtle, the symbol of the sea god Poseidon. Athens and Corinth followed, but coinage was also widespread in many Greek colonies, for example in Sicily. In general, animal motifs dominated the first coinage images of ancient coins, followed by symbols of the deity of the respective city-state and mythologically significant motifs: The image of the owl stood for Athens, the foal (the Pegasos) for Corinth, the labyrinth for Crete, the bee symbolized Ephesus. Regionally, different coin families, currencies, weights and metals dominated. 

Under Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.), Greek coinage was systematized and standardized to meet the demands of a great empire. Macedonian coins from the Hellenistic period (336-30 BC) showed the head of the young Heracles wearing a lion's skin. Alexander the Great was also the first ruler to have his portrait minted on coins. Alexander's successors (the so-called "Diadoche States") initially continued the minting unchanged before they found their own designs with the first heads of rulers on Greek coins. 

The expansion of the Roman Empire also put an end to independent Greek coinage. In 146 BC Greece became a Roman province (Macedonia). The local Greek images of gods and rulers were gradually replaced by the emperor's portrait, and Greek coins became Roman provincial coinage.

The ancient drachma was usually made of silver. The Greek nominal denominations of the coins were units of weight as well as units of account and coinage. Because of the multitude of Greek city-states, the drachma had no unit weight. The weight depended on the particular coin standard. The most common in ancient Greece was the Attic coin standard, a drachma weighing about 4 grams. 

From the year 593 B.C. a coinage reform from Athens is recorded, in which the tetradrachm (= 4 drachms) was introduced by the statesman Solon. One of the most important ancient coins was the stater – a subdivision of the tetradrachm. Just like the obolus still known today, which had the value of a sixth of a drachma. Multiple pieces (multipla) of the drachma, on the other hand, are accordingly called didrachma (= 2 drachmas), pentadrachma (= 5 drachmas) or octodrachma (= 8 drachmas). 

The ancient drachma not only became the model for medieval coins, but was also the unit of currency in modern Greece from 1831 until it was replaced by the euro in 2001.

With an ancient Greek coin, coin collectors acquire a piece of history of the oldest currency unit in the world, which is up to 2,500 years old. The original specimens from the early days of coinage are particularly valuable today, as only a few have survived to this day. Many of the ancient Greek coins were lost or melted down during the conquests of the kingdoms. Valuable rarities can be found nowadays in museums or particularly sophisticated private collections.

The value of an ancient Greek coin depends on many factors: Coins with great rarity coupled with the richness of detail of the minting are valued the highest. In addition, there is the state of preservation and the material from which the piece was minted. Coin designs by famous punch cutters such as Kimon, Eukleidas or Eueinetos from Syracuse are of impressive quality and captivating naturalism. 

The "masterpieces" of Greek coinage often change hands for five-figure sums. The most expensive Greek coin on the market is currently said to be worth over $3 million. On the other hand, originals that are more than 2000 years old are traded, which are affordable for collectors and allow coin lovers to acquire an important piece of world history.