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Description
This paper outlines, by examining Cretan coin hoards, coin circulation patterns on the island over the centuries, highlighting connections between the major Cretan cities minting coins, and drawing attention to significant variations in terms of quantities and metals over time. The presence of foreign coins in hoards affords insight into the relationship between Cretan cities and other entities in the Greek world. The huge number of overstruck pieces raises some interesting questions and seems to shed some light on the function of coinage in Crete and on the reasons behind its production, which began considerably late compared to the rest of the Greek world. Furthermore, the scarcity of Cretan coins outside its territory, in contrast to the huge circulation of foreign issues within the island, suggests a marked insularity, with local coins rarely reaching mainland Greece or the islands around Crete.
