World's oldest mint discovered in China's Guanzhuang site

A recent study published in Antiquity has recognized Guanzhuang, an ancient settlement located near the Yellow River in China, as the earliest known mint in the world, functioning from 640 to 550 BCE, roughly 150 years after its establishment in 800 BCE. Hao Zhao, a researcher affiliated with Zhengzhou University, highlighted that coin production commenced 150 years following the city's construction, a finding supported by radiocarbon dating and AMS. Since 2011, excavations have uncovered defensive structures and workshops that produced artifacts in bronze, ceramic, jade, and bone. The city was deserted after 450 BCE. The archaeological team discovered spade-shaped coins and 54 clay molds, suggesting that the minting process took place within the foundry. Guanzhuang's coins represent the first standardized metal currency, predating both the Lydian Lion and the Achaemenid daric.