From the 5th century bc, Athens gained commercial preeminence, and the Athenian drachma became the foremost currency. It is difficult to estimate comparative exchange rates with modern currency because the range of products produced by economies of centuries gone by were different from today, which makes purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations very difficult; however, some historians and economists have estimated that in the 5th century BC a drachma had a rough value of 25 U.S. dollars (in the year 1990 equivalent to US$46.50 in 2015[8]), whereas classical historians regularly say that in the heyday of ancient Greece (the fifth and fourth centuries) the daily wage for a skilled worker or a hoplite[9] was one drachma, and for a heliast (juror) half a drachma since 425BC.[10]. Silver coin typically circulated for the payment of wages, and bronze token coinage circulated for the purchase of daily necessities. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This seems extremely undervalued to me, can someone whos familiar on the topic confirm this? A lawyer could charge 1,000 for pleading a case. There were many states minted fractions of drachmas, like in Ptolemaic Egypt, which minted large coins in gold, silver, and bronze. They were equal in value to about 25 U.S. dollars in 2006; however, the drachma was worth far more than this. CoinWeek Ancient Coins Series by Mike Markowitz .. The drachma was used by the gods as a means of exchange. I like to do guesswork math on the value of things in pre-industrial society, and often I keep reading internet sources (wiki included) repeating the idea that a silver drachma, a coin containing roughly 6 to 7 4 grams of silver, was worth the daily salary of a common labourer in ancient Greece (give or take, 3rd century BCE). How Much is 75 Drachmas Worth in Ancient Greece? 2. He grew up to become one of the most influential men in Roman history. Drachmas are part of the coinage that gave birth to all modern currencies and the original coin stemmed from the monetary system of Ancient Greece that was developed from 800BC. If the treasury was the foundation of the Roman Republic, then how much money did Caesar give to the citizens? drachma, silver coin of ancient Greece, dating from about the mid-6th century bc, and the former monetary unit of modern Greece. On 9 April 1953, in an effort to halt inflation, Greece joined the Bretton Woods system. The reason for the real disparity between what silver and gold coins buy today is almost solely due to the promotion of fiat money and the downward manipulation of precious metals. The Drachma was reintroduced in 1832 after the formation of modern-day Greece. Sculptors and doctors were able to make up to six drachmae daily. Greek Coins - See the Most Beautiful and Rare Greek Coins It does not store any personal data. On January 1, 2001, Greece officially joined the European Economic and Monetary Union, adopting the Euro for all purposes.