Electrum

As an electron or electrum ( from Greek elektron ήλεκτρον, Bernstein ', later Latin electrum, amber, silver money ' ) refers to an originally natural alloy of gold and silver, which later was also produced artificially. Gold occurs in nature only rarely exist in pure form (as nuggets). A high proportion of silver electron has a paler yellow color than pure gold, but passes through the sulfidation of silver in the air quickly a darker discoloration. The natural electron contains - in addition to the silver - often even a usually low copper content. The gold content of the natural electron alloys is highly variable and can be between about 90 % and 20 %, typically by 73%. Silver with a gold content of less than 10 % was formerly known as güldisches silver.

Development

Originally held for an independent electron metal. The oldest known coins from Lydia in the 7th century BC, were minted from electron, making it the oldest coin alloy. Likewise, there are early Celtic coins often also from electron. Known electrical occurrences in ancient times were in Asia Minor and Spain. In addition to the electron coinage was also used for ornaments.

In Lydia 4.7 gram coins were minted in electron, which corresponds to ⅓ Stater (default). Three of these coins ( with a weight of about 14.1 grams, almost half an ounce ) yielded a stater, the wage of a soldier for about a month. To complement the stater, fractions were made: the trite ( third), the hecte ( sixth ) and so on until the 24th part of a stater, and even down to 1/48 and 1/ 96 of a stater. The 1/96 stater was only about 0.14 to 0.15 grams. Higher denominations as a whole Stater were well marked.

In the ancient world, especially in Egypt and in ancient Greece, electron was varied uses and especially revered for his " dark color". It graced such as the peaks of the great obelisk of Hatshepsut at Karnak. Similarly, the final stone was of Egyptian pyramids, the Pyramidion, probably often coated initially with electron and therefore shone in the sunlight. Popular electron was also among the Huns.

Presumably, the alloy has taken the name from the similarly-colored amber, which is also called in Greek elektron. It can be assumed that the mentioned as Asem in early ancient Greek sources gold -containing metal alloy corresponds to the electron.