Coin

Before the Exile the Jews had no regularly stamped money. They made use of uncoined shekels or talents of silver, which they weighed out (Gen. 23:16; Ex. 38:24; 2 Sam. 18:12). Probably the silver ingots used in the time of Abraham may have been of a fixed weight, which was in some way indicated on them. The “pieces of silver” paid by Abimelech to Abraham (Gen. 20:16), and those also for which Joseph was sold (37:28), were proably in the form of rings. The shekel was the common standard of weight and value among the Hebrews down to the time of the Captivity. Only once is a shekel of gold mentioned (1 Chr. 21:25). The “six thousand of gold” mentioned in the transaction between Naaman and Gehazi (2 Kings 5:5) were probably so many shekels of gold. The “piece of money” mentioned in Job 42:11; Gen. 33:19 (marg., “lambs”) was the Hebrew kesitah, probably an uncoined piece of silver of a certain weight in the form of a sheep or lamb, or perhaps having on it such an impression. The same Hebrew word is used in Josh. 24:32, which is rendered by Wickliffe “an hundred yonge scheep.”

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A quoin; a corner or external angle; a wegde. See Coigne, and Quoin.

2. A piece of metal on which certain characters are stamped by government authority, making it legally current as money; -- much used in a collective sense. It is alleged that it [a subsidy] exceeded all the current coin of the realm. Hallam.

3. That which serves for payment or recompense. The loss of present advantage to flesh and blood is repaid in a nobler coin. Hammond. Coin balance. See Illust. of Balance. -- To pay one in his own coin, to return to one the same kind of injury or ill treatment as has been received from him. [Colloq.]

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To make of a definite fineness, and convert into coins, as a mass of metal; to mint; to manufacture; as, to coin silver dollars; to coin a medal.

2. To make or fabricate; to invent; to originate; as, to coin a word. Some tale, some new pretense, he daily coined, To soothe his sister and delude her mind. Dryden.

3. To acquire rapidly, as money; to make. Tenants cannot coin rent just at quarter day. Locke.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To manufacture counterfeit money. They cannot touch me for coining. Shak.