Money-changers were also the silversmiths and/or goldsmiths of more recent ancient times. During the 4th century AD, the Byzantine government kept a monopoly on the exchange of currency.Papyri PCZ I 59021 (c.259/8 BC), shows the occurrences of exchange of coinage in Ancient Egypt.Currency and exchange were important elements of trade in the ancient world, enabling people to buy and sell items like food, pottery, and raw materials. If a Greek coin held more gold than an Egyptian coin due to its size or content, then a merchant could barter fewer Greek gold coins for more Egyptian ones, or for more material goods. This is why, at some point in their history, most World Currencies in circulation today had a value fixed to a specific quantity of a recognized standard like silver and gold. D