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Turkey, Sardis, "Mint of Croesus"
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This complex archaeological site includes the electrum refinery in Sardis, dating from the 6th century BC and the time of Croesus. Here, the natural electrum nuggets dredged from the river were smelted, and the gold and silver separated and refined separately. No evidence of actual coin striking at the site is known, though it seems most likely that the minting would have been done at the same location as the metal refining. Mixed up with the site are ruins of a Roman villa, and a Byzantine church.
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