36 From the Court to the Stock Exchange At the turn of the 12th century in Mecklenburg, the Counts of Schwerin started to issue coins, followed soon after by the Dukes of Mecklenburg. These early coins were bracteates – thin silver pieces struck on one side only – sometimes referred to as Hohlpfennige or ‘hollow pennies’. Larger denominations, such as the ‘Witten’, were introduced later. By the early modern period, the thaler had become one of the most widely recognised large silver coins, and its name survives today in the word ‘dollar’. Mints also struck gold coins, though their high material value meant they were rarely used for everyday transactions. Medals, though similar in appearance to coins, served a different purpose. Rather than functioning as currency, they commemorated significant events and were intended to preserve these for posterity. Whether marking a ducal wedding in Mecklenburg or the construction of Schloss Schwerin in the early modern period, medals were created as lasting tokens of remembrance. Coins have played a central role in commerce for more than 2,000 years. From the Greek drachma and Roman denarius – both precursors to the penny – to the early-modern thaler, coins were the main medium of monetary exchange. Well into the 19th century, coinage made of gold, silver or copper remained the dominant form of currency. One currency eventually rose to global prominence: the US dollar. Legend has it that its symbol, $, originated from the superimposed letters U and S, with one vertical stroke omitted. This sign became an unrivalled emblem of economic power and wealth. Unsurprisingly, it has become a recurring motif in contemporary art. Today, cashless payments, online banking and mobile transactions are part of everyday life. Growing public attention is now focused on Bitcoin (₿), a decentralised digital currency, marking a new chapter in the evolving history of money. _TF 2
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