Obol

The obol, also known as the obolos, is one of the oldest and most important small coins in ancient numismatics. Its name derives from the Greek word obelos, which originally meant ‘skewer’ – a reference to the early form of the obol, when skewers were used as primitive means of payment before they were replaced by coins. From a numismatic point of view, the obol was a fraction of the drachma, with six obols usually making up one drachma. This ratio has been handed down from classical antiquity and is reflected in numerous coin finds.
The first obols were mainly minted from silver, which gave them a relatively high material value, especially in the daily transactions of the Greek city-states. Over time and with the increasing expansion of coinage, bronze obols were also minted to meet the demand for small change. In rarer cases, gold obols have even been found, which were mainly issued for representative or ceremonial purposes. The Attic coin standard, one of the most important coin standards of antiquity, set the weight of an obol at approximately 0.73 grams.
In addition to the full obol, there were also smaller denominations, such as the tetartemorion (a quarter obol), the hemiobolion (half an obol) and the tritetartemorion (three quarters of an obol), which were mainly minted in silver. These fine gradations testify to the sophisticated monetary system of ancient Greece and the great importance of small coins in everyday economic life. The system was also differentiated in bronze coinage: in Athens, eight chalkoi corresponded to one obol, which meant that there was also a detailed monetary structure in the bronze sector.
Beyond antiquity, the term obol was also used in medieval Europe. Here, in many regions, it referred to half a penny or denarius, also known as a halbling. This usage shows how deeply the obol was anchored in the collective numismatic memory and what a long tradition this coin name had in various currency systems. For collectors and numismatists, the obol is not only a fascinating testimony to the history of coinage, but also a symbol of the economic sophistication of ancient societies.