Dates On Coins

Yes, so that people can know what year the coin was made in.

But really why was it important for the public to know when the coins were made?

for ugly people who couldnt get dates any other way.

j_h_s, lol.

You know...that's something we take for granted today, but an interesting question nonetheless! I've wondered that myself
There seems to be quite a few older/ancient coins without dates, so I wonder when the practice began?
My guess is that when a new ruler came into power and a new portrait was coined, they wanted a date associated with the new regime--and tied to whatever monetary changes might be imposed. Dates also provide a means for the govt. to track circulation of coins, plus countless other reasons I haven't thought of.

There are probably numerous reasons.
1. So everyone could tell the difference between coins minted in BC vs AD.
2. Since in the USA only dead people, presidens, etc are put on coins, with a date on the coins everyone knows the person or item on the coin is dead.
3. So vary rare coins would have a reason to be rare. Example: 1913 Liberty Head Nickel. What good would it be to say rare if no date?
4. Without dates on coins there would be an empty spot on the obverse/bottom and someone would say put something there you idiots.
5. Helps tell the obverse from the reverse.
6. Helps everyone with which coin is straight up and which is not.
7. And I think I heard this one is real: In order for Mints everywhere keep track of how many coins and/or currency's have been produced that year. No dates, no ability to know how many are and have been made.

well its a good thing they did put dtaes on them, otherwise we would be very limited in our hobby

Dates were originally placed on coins for two reasons: as part of the quality control system (similar to mintmarks), and as part of the honours claimed by the ruler of the place the coins were made.

The first actual dates on coins were placed on coins of the Seleukid kingdom, the largest splinter of Alexander the Great's empire, in the low 300's BC. The calendar used on the coins was the Seleukid era, which dated from the founding of the kingdom.

The dates were placed there so the king's officials could keep track of when coins were made. They had records of what weight and fineness the coins were supposed to have been that year, so they could easily spot debased and underweight coins, should a mint worker (or counterfeiter) try to make them.

And of course, if all the coins have dates on them, it becomes easier to withdraw coins from before a certain date, melt them down, and reissue them to a new monetary standard.

In the Roman Imperial series, most of the dates were linked to the titles claimed by the Emperor. For instance, I have a coin of Emperor Commodus on which the emperor bragged about his prestigious rule with the letters TR P XVI COS VI: 16th tribuniucian appointment, sixth consulship. We know from history this corresponds to 191 AD.

Many other coin series (such as Roman Provincial Egypt) used coins dated by the regnal year of the current king or emperor.