From Gold to Silver: Prof. Rory Naismith on the Making of Money in the Early Middle Ages

This Business Talk episode features Dr. Rory Naismith, Professor of Early Medieval English History in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Corpus Christi College, in a wide-ranging conversation about his book Making Money in the Early Middle Ages. Drawing on his extensive research on coinage, economy and society, Naismith explains how new discoveries, especially through metal detecting, have overturned earlier assumptions that early medieval coinage was marginal, revealing instead a surprisingly active, if still scarce, monetary economy. He unpacks one of the book’s central arguments: that the very scarcity of coins intensified their economic and symbolic power, as people consistently thought and negotiated in monetary terms even when physical coin was absent. Using clear analogies and historical examples, he guides listeners through the transition from gold to silver coinage in the 7th century, showing how changes in metal supply, value, and circulation reshaped everyday transactions and extended coined money to wider segments of society. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Rory Naismith shared key insights from his book, “Making Money in the Early Middle Ages”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed. #businesstalk #RoryNaismith #medievalhistory #historyofmoney #economichistory