The first coins were believed to be minted in what is now Turkey around 600 B.C. Barter was the main form of getting things done or getting something that was needed by another person, unfortunately, making change was a very hard medium. At first, primitive cultures tried to use things like tools, animal skins, iron, cattle, shells and salt as a form of money, but they did not offer stability. They found that metal could be used and were trading in things like jewelry, ingots and various cast shapes. This worked and specific standards and weights were created in order to standardize this new system called coins.