Unearthing a World of Financial Firsts
5000 years ago, employment looked…different. The Gig Economy still millennia away, labor was hard, tools were few and far between, and the paychecks were, well, made of rock.
Archaeologists have unearthed what they believe to be the oldest-known paystub. It’s a 5000-year-old piece of rock that they believe acted as a roster of workers, complete with their pay for the day: a ration of drinks.
The world’s oldest pay stub.
The discovery gave us a sense of awe and made us curious about what other financial artifacts exist. Here’s what we found:
The World Oldest Coin
Most scholars believe that the oldest coin on record is the Lydian Stater – a concoction of gold and silver believed to hail from 600 BCE in the region today known as Turkey.
The World’s First Stock Certificate
On September 9, 1606, the first stock certificate was issued (or so historians believe). The piece of paper assigned shares of VOC-chamber Enkhuizen to Pieter Hermanszoon Boode. Regardless of how valuable the shares became, the certificate is surely worth a pretty penny today.
The face of the world’s oldest stock certificate is a close-kept secret. Here’s a clue: it’s older than this one.
The World’s Oldest Bank Account
Today, the concept of a bank account is taken completely for granted. But in 1472, the idea was novel. That’s when historians believe the first bank account was opened. Called the Monte di Pietà, the financial institution was founded by order of the Magistrature of the Republic of Siena and has been keeping track of its depositors’ savings ever since.
The world’s oldest bank.
The World’s Oldest Money Advice
That is one easy: spend less than you make, and make your money work for you. That’s a relic you can see for yourself on the financial basics page of BizKids.com
