nomismatos diaphoras graphe

NOMI´SMATOS DIA´PHORAS GRAPHE(νομἰσματος διαφορᾶς γραφή) is the name of the public action which might, at Athens, be brought against anyone who coined money either too light in weight or not consisting of the pure metal prescribed by the law. The lawful punishment inflicted upon a person in case he was convicted was death. (Demosth. c. Lept. p. 508.67; c. Timocrat. p. 765.212.) What action might be brought against those who coined money without the sanction of the republic, and how such persons were punished, is not known (Att. Process, ed. Nipsius, p. 437). Xenophon (de Vect. 3.2) remarks that the Athenian silver coins were actually worth their nominal value.