Money makes the world go round but why are coins round?

here are some coins from India and Malaya which come in all sorts of sizes. 

on the left are older coins made in any shape! these are Byzantine, Afghan and India. 

 

 At the first meeting of the year we thought about dates. Not romantic ones but on coins. 

why are coins dated? 

1928 sixpence unusually had the letters AD with the date

        

What Year Did They Start Putting Dates on Coins?

According to The Guinness Book of World Records, a Samian Silver Tetradrachm struck in Zankle (modern-day Messina) in Sicily is the earliest coin with a date. It is dated year 1 (viz 494 BC) in the form of the letter ‘A’ at one end.

Some ancient coins have regnal years and others can be dated by reference to civic roles such as Consulship.

The same record reference book lists a Silver Penning  as the earliest Christian Era or AD-dated coin. This coin was struck and/or issued by the Bishop of Roskilde, Denmark. This silver coin features a bishop’s hat on the reverse and a crown on the obverse. It also includes the legends +ANNO DOMINI on the obverse and the AD date MCCXXXIIII (1234) on the reverse.

The Hungary Silver Denar with Madonna and Child (c. 1450-1620), is another coin with a date that is significant. This silver coin, among the first to show a full date, features an image of the Madonna, the Patron Saint of Hungary, holding the baby Jesus (reverse). The legend “PATRO HVNGA” (“Patron Saint of Hungary”) followed by the full date (year) surrounds the Madonna and Child image. It is not uncommon to find the date obscured—a result of crude coin manufacturing methods used at the time. The obverse features the Hungarian Royal Coat of Arms. Though coins had dates on them prior to the 13th century, coins using the calendar numbering system we use today did not appear until 1234 A.D.

The first dated coins in England were in two pattern shillings dated 1547 with mm ,Rose, is dated MCXLVII and dated MDXL7.