<p><a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/83052/5406">As described by Ava Chow</a>, Namecoin was the first altcoin created as such. It was announced on 2011-04-18.</p>
<p>However, according to the topic &quot;<a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/36252/5406">Testnet version history</a>&quot; the Testnet1 was reset after its coins started to be traded for value. Testnet2 was kicked off on 2011-02-03, which would allow a case to be made for <strong>Testnet1</strong> to have been the first altcoin.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-20T19:24:05.023Z
2024-01-17T18:22:54.563Z
2024-01-17T18:22:54.563Z
Murch
<p>Namecoin, for sure, can read more about it here <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namecoin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namecoin</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-20T09:58:29.040Z
2018-12-20T09:58:29.040Z
RevenueBot
<p>Litecoin was not the first altcoin. It actually uses ideas for altcoins that precede it but had died before it was created. This is mentioned in its <a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=47417.0" rel="noreferrer">announcement thread on bitcointalk.</a>. The very first altcoin was actually Namecoin, announced in April 2011. Namecoin was actively used and mined, and can still be used today.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-19T17:22:59.063Z
2018-12-19T17:22:59.063Z
Ava Chow
<p>I'm aware that LiteCoin is (was?) the "silver" to bitcoin's "gold". </p>

<p>The question is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>What was the first altcoin? Was it actually LiteCoin or was there something else?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>For the purposes of "alt coin"</p>

<ol>
<li>What was the first fork of bitcoin</li>
<li>What was the first altcoin that more than, say, 10 people mined?</li>
</ol>

<altcoin><history>
What was the first altcoin?
bharal
# What was the first altcoin?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-12-19)

I'm aware that LiteCoin is (was?) the "silver" to bitcoin's "gold".

The question is:

> What was the first altcoin? Was it actually LiteCoin or was there something else?

For the purposes of "alt coin"

1. What was the first fork of bitcoin
2. What was the first altcoin that more than, say, 10 people mined?

**Tags:** altcoin, history


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-12-19. Score: 9 | Accepted answer

Litecoin was not the first altcoin. It actually uses ideas for altcoins that precede it but had died before it was created. This is mentioned in its [announcement thread on bitcointalk.](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=47417.0). The very first altcoin was actually Namecoin, announced in April 2011. Namecoin was actively used and mined, and can still be used today.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2018-12-20. Score: 6

[As described by username_3](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/83052/5406), Namecoin was the first altcoin created as such. It was announced on 2011-04-18.

However, according to the topic "[Testnet version history](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/36252/5406)" the Testnet1 was reset after its coins started to be traded for value. Testnet2 was kicked off on 2011-02-03, which would allow a case to be made for **Testnet1** to have been the first altcoin.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-12-20. Score: 0

Namecoin, for sure, can read more about it here <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namecoin>


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