history of 'novac' new money

[matakoweg]

According to my dictionairy the word for money is 'novac' in Serbian and Croatian.
This comes from nov (“new”) +‎ -ac, from an earlier *novi p(j)enez (“new money”) according to wiktionary
I suppose this word came into existance when a new coin was introduced in Jugoslavian (or maybe earlier), because the other slavic languages use different words for 'money'.

When did this happen? How long is this word for money in use?
Do speakers still feel the association with new?

 

[Zec]

I at least don't feel any association with 'new'. Judging by that, one could guess the word is quite old. And indeed, a paper on the word's etymology I found (read the English summary at the end) says it's first attested in the 16th century.

 

[Panceltic]

We have novec in Slovenian, it's been in use for a long time (first attested in the 17th century apparently) and there is no connection felt with "nov" (new). It means "(antique) coin" though.

 

[Anemona61]

This comes from nov (“new”) +‎ -ac, from an earlier *novi p(j)enez (“new money”).

This is only one of several theories, a very simplified one.

I suppose this word came into existance when a new coin was introduced in Jugoslavian (or maybe earlier), because the other slavic languages use different words for 'money'.

According to the etymologist Petar Skok, it was used in 15th century.

Do speakers still feel the association with new?

No, not at all!