Ancients: High grade or worn?

Which do you prefer?

I know most people here will say "quality over quantity" or something similar, I am fond of the more worn coins.

My reasoning is, I will never own the best example of a said coins type. Quality is nice, but it's too expensive, and instead of never owning an example of a coin you want, why not get a more worn piece?

Not only that, but the worn piece I actually feel safe taking out of the flips and playing with. The better stuff I do it to too, but not as much, there just not as interesting, IMO.

Now with that said. High quality coins beautiful coins that basically make and are the highlights of a collection. They will be the coins other collectors drool over, even though they may not be your favorites. I definatly plan on owning a few of them "showcase" examples as well to be the icing of my collection. However, if you just own two or three "high quality" coins and do not collect the bargain bin pieces, is it really a collection?

I say mix and match, I guess. As I said, most of us will never own any of the "best example" type coins, so, IMO, quality doesn't beat quantity. I'm not saying collect complete junk and unattributed material, lol. We already buy what makes us happy, but I don't see the point in not buying a coin because it's not the best (or even a decent) example. Most of us have coins in our collection we love, knowing that there are other examples that would blow ours away, however, we can't and probably will never be able to afford them without going into some serious debt.

Now, I know quality is different for everyone, as everyones budget is different. What would seem like a holy grail coin for you would seem like a downgrade example for another collector. So let's just base it on your own personal budget.

Does quality>quantity?

NOTE: When I say quantity, I don't mean the REALLY cheap bronzes..I'm talking more for the silver stuff

​

stainless

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I absolutely love the high grade ancients but I can't afford to spend thousands to get an example.

I prefer the midgrade ones where there is the majority of the detail to identify it easily.

I have a container full of low grade ancients, but those are slated as give-aways to kids. They were inexpensive but still interesting to someone wanting to get into the hobby.

 

NOTE: When I say quantity, I don't mean the REALLY cheap bronzes..I'm talking more for the silver stuff.

I'll edit my post with this

 

I'm still a bit of a newbie with ancients and I'm just buying what I like rather than building on a theme. The coins I have bought were because I liked the detail that was on them and they were within my budget.

If I get to the point where I'm collecting particular Emperors, mints or time periods, then I may not be as selective in the quality. That is, I would buy a lower grade (or one as high a grade as my budget allows) just to have a representation. I guess it's no different than collecting modern coins where you amass your collection at first and then later begin upgrading.

 

Whats wrong with cheap bronze :rollling:

I'm happy with low grade coins, all of my nicer ones I just got lucky. My most recent coin was $19.

edit: looks better in hand.

 

Nice topic.

I tend to buy the worn examples mainly because I too cant afford those nice CNG examples or even Heritage. They are beauties to look at online but the 3-4 figures & more is a turn off.

But here is what is ME....I dont like silvers with alot of deposits. I can live with coins with cracked or ragged flans, some missing legends, obvious wear but lots of deposits turns me off. I will avoid a ancient down right, even if the price is right if it has ALOT of deposits. I also dont like when a coin is bad silver when there is good for the era...I.E. Severan.

Like this coin http://cgi.ebay.com/CHS-AQUILLA-SEV...ultDomain_0&hash=item2eb4887ce3#ht_720wt_1037 I really wanted it because she goes for over $600-$1000 and is the #2 rarest female in the severan period but I just cant get past the wear/bad silver even though its going amazingly cheap for her.

Same with a sestertius. The green is a major turn off and thats why I dont own one yet. There is alot of examples without the green but I just dont find myself wanting one despite the nice designs/heft they weigh.

So I am picky and want quality, but I want it at a certain level of quality I can live with and there is some problems, like the coin above, I just cant get past, no matter how worn/rare it is.

 

Lol, nothing. I just didn't want people to think about the more common stuff for now. mainly think quality and quantity with coins that you aren't able to get everyday.

For instance Randy, that Augustus republican denarius you have. not the best example, but a very cool piece.

stainless

 

Id avoid that like the plague :/

But as long as your happy thats all that matter.

My poor 1804 large cent has a big X scratched on the back of it, corroded copper, some scratches on the front but by goodness I love it because I got it at a good price and has details & I cant afford a problem free draped bust large cent.

I feel problem coins need a loving home no matter what the coin collecting masses may say/frown upon. I may not get back what I bought it for but its put a smile on my face even owning one and thats all that matter. But the problem has to be a problem I can live with, that Elagabalus #2/#4 wife I cant live with.

 

its my 4th most expensive coin too lol XD

 

I got quite a few "problem coins," heres just a few, its nice though to have u.s. coins I can touch and not lower the value.


edit: sorry to go off topic with us coins

 

Again, problems I can live with and problems I cant, those I couldnt. Holes & bends I couldnt.

I found the thread Marshall replied to on my large cent. He made the coin alot brighter then it is of course but this is her in all her ugly glory.

 

@ Mat - What exactly didn't you like about that one? (the ancient) seemed good in silver to me (no leakage) and nothing that seemed off. just really...worn. but I would've been happy with that, IMO. But, gotta get what you're happy with.

stainless

 

That Aquilia Severa? Deep down I just wouldnt be happy with it but the "other side of the coin", pun intended is that I doubt I would be able to afford slightly better examples of her due to her being very scarce. That particular coin would have been a slot filler and probably not looked at very often.

But with ebay maybe another will pop up in a bit better shape & what I would like to pay.

Patience paid off very well with my Julia Soaemias & especially Julia Paula in her shape.

 

I didnt like the look of that one either lol

 

Ancient Doug wrote a good article on the various approaches to collecting Ancients. Maybe he can link his article.

Without a focus, however, one can be easily overwhelmed by the seemingly countless different coins available.

I recommend a theme or two: emperors' wives, a narrow time frame, image types or personifications on coins, a single emperor and his family, site of mintage, Rome's enemies, etc.

Without this focus, one could easily become overcome by the great variety and volume of ancient coinage. :too-cool-for:

guy

 

Not that I disagree, but I kinda like going all over.

 

I'm with Randy, I like little bit of this and a little bit of that. I've had several thoughts of going with a theme but at times I think I would get bored quickly.

 

The story of my collecting history, in a nutshell.


stainless

 

Always good advice, advice I cheerfully ignore. I agree with SOME organization, but I have tons of subcollections. I find something I like, make a small collection, learn a ton, and move on. Sometimes they merge together to form a bigger collection, like my Byzantines.

For grades, I think it has to depend on the coin. Overall I like the middle. If a lower grade, (meaning VG, not VF as some collectors may call "lower grade"), I prefer a coin with honest wear than major problems like excessive pitting, etc. Just my preference. Maybe my favorite ancient coin is a vg Ostrogothic coin struck in Rome about 485 Ad, with a "Roma Invictus" legend, talk about irony.

Chris

Btw I agree with Stainless. If I wanted a coin that I was afraid to handle, I would buy BU modern coins, where a silly fingerprint can drastically affect value. Who wants coins you cannot touch? I have some BU US coins, but I don't love them the way I love my more worn ancients.

 

I think the quality/quantity debate depends on what you are willing to collect.
For my own example, on my "general" collection (basically roman empire, see here : http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=11724 ), as I'm not on a particular focus, I will prefer a quality coin, even common, rather than a worn one, even rare. Of course, if high grade AND rare I will be happy even more

On my thematic collections (Plautilla denarii, Divi series, Feudal coins...) as I'm looking for a more complete series, the more I'm advanced into the series, the less I will have the choice about the quality : Filling a hole with a rare specimen is enough happiness in itself...

Hope that makes sense
Q