Trying to Assemble A One of Each - Suggestions

In my own personal journey in numismatics I have decided to concentrate on a One of Each collection, but I am not sure what that means. I think what I really want is one or a few representative types of each culture. This seems impossible, there are so many coins, and so many cultures who underwent huge paradigm shifts in their existence, compare the Romans who built the empire compared to the once who would one day fail to maintain it. They are the same but yet they are different times, with different goals and different people who at one time would not have been Romans.

If you were to assemble a single coin representing each of the Roman periods which ones would you choose? Would you divide the empire into a dynasty and select one coin of each dynasty? Would you select only one RR denari, one 3rd century Ant and one LRB? Would you try to get the most notable figures? Maybe one of each of the denominations? Could you shrink your collection down to a few types?

What about Greeks? One of each Kingdom? Each time period? Each dynasty? Would divide Greeks by Geographical region, would Indian coins with Greek be considered Greek? I think it is easier to get a Greek collection down to a few types, Athens tet, Alex 3 tet, and a couple curiosities?

Celts? Geography? Tribe? Issuing authority or time period?

I am taking suggestions.

Maybe I just need one Trajan, a fairly decent coin from the height of the Roman Empire.




or Maybe an Elagbulas?

 

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Although I don't abide by it, I have always thought of collecting 1 of each imperial emperor, 1 of each republic moneyer, and 1 from each greek city state (1 from each era they were provided) would be considered by most a "1 of each collection" for those specific groups of people; although that only scratches a very broad surface. That doesn't incorporate Persian, Arabic, Celtic, Byzantine, etc. It's always going to come back to, "what is complete for you?" I don't really have a rhyme or reason to my collection, so wouldn't be able to speak on my degree of completeness. Good luck.

 

I am trying to put together a twelve caesar set because I find it interesting. I also buy coins when they are outside of this focus when they are interesting to me. For example, I bought a coin of constantine because to seems to me that every ancient coin collector should have at least one Constantine. I bought a coin of Agrippa because he was an interesting character. I do however, have a very small ancients collection. I believe I have about 10 ancient coins in total.

I find it very interesting when others express their own processes involved in the hobby.

 

Hm, I've seen that denarius somewhere before.

I would say a VERY broadly representative collection of Romans, starting with Augustus, would include the following. These are selected for ease of collecting, that is, availability and affordability...

1. A coin of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, perhaps a provinicial issue of Augustus or a common denarius or bronze of Nero. As you all know, some of the emperors in this period get very tough.

2. Four Emperors and Flavian Dynasty - a nice denarius of Vespasian or Domitian, which are affordable in higher grades.

3. Antonine Dynasty - you've got a lot to choose from here when it comes to affordable coins in high grades: Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, and Commodus.

4. Severan Dynasty - also many, many higher grade denarii here.

5. Third Century - everybody can afford a lovely ant of Gordian III or Philip I. You've also got a bazillion coins to choose from with Gallienus, Aurelian, and Probus.

6. Tetrarchy and Constantinian - again, many coins of many emperors in high grades for not too much scratch.

7. Valentinian Dynasty - find yourself a nice bronze of Valentinian I or II, Gratian, Valens, or if you're a bigger spender, aim for a siliqua.

8. Theodosian Dynasty - plenty of lovely bronze and silver to choose from.

After that, we begin debating whether we're collecting Roman or Byzantine, which argument I'm going to avoid for now.

Make a couple of the above 8 coins provinicials, and you've got yourself a very respectable Roman starter kit.

In fact, it would be fun to see what people can post - pick your best 8 coins fitting the above categories. Most of us should be able to do it.

 

Thanks JA. That is a very useful list of possibilities. I like to think in terms of themes as well. I would like a set of the five good emperors for example. After I finish the Caesars I might just try for the good emperors and then the year of the five emperors. The year of the four emperors will be completed by completing the twelve caesars. I have not though beyond this for now but your list might just inspire a few other directions for my collection when I have finished with my current focus. Thanks again for taking the time to do this. This is very helpful for the newer collector.

 

You're welcome. I forgot to mention that once you've acquired all 8 coins, you need to do it all over again with completely different types. Repeat as necessary.

 

Potential coin-one-of goals:

Ummm, at least one example of each available animal type ... at least one example from each century that coins were minted ... at least one example of every coin denomination ...

 

i've sort of given up trying to figure out exactly what it is i collect.

other than "coins".

 

I think JA's suggestions have a great deal of merit and appeal....especially to start off with and then to reevaluate what you might prefer while still within your budget.

Basically, I started with an Emperors approach, much like the Littleton album I recently purchased from JA...and then shifted a bit to examples of Greek and other 'Asian' types....

Now, after replenishing my sold coins, I'm adjusting my focus a bit every few months...and adding what mostly appeals to me, falls within my budget that month or two and was of a type I was missing---whether that be of theme, denomination or geographical area....

Obviously, my approach is a bit haphazard, but eventually accomplishes what I hoped to achieve.

Try JA's approach and then reevaluate what you most wish to achieve and proceed from there is the best suggestion I can make.

Good Luck!!

 

+1

But I also know what I do not want to collect, so I guess that narrows it down some.

 

I think I am just trying to fill in the map.

 

I am collecting from Octavian to Carcalla!!! The Roma coins
Trajan out mine collection

 

I have zero interest in a collection of this sort but already did one, in effect, when I selected the coins used to illustrate my vocabulary pages. They were coins that illustrated what I felt needed to be illustrated. You will say I have too many Republicans and Greeks but you can cut to fit.
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/voc.html


I rather like JA's list of 8 but would suggest expanding it to 10 and making it one coin from each of the ten volumes of RIC. The editors of RIC felt the need to divide volume 4 into three parts and volume 5 into two so I could see a group of 13 coins having merit here as well. Volume 10 should have been split into two so that would be 14 coins. IMHO volume 2 could have been split into Flavians and Nerva-Trajan-Hadrian making a reasonable group of 15 coins. I offer one of each as a sample.

The RIC comprises 13 volumes:

• volume 1 : Augustus–Vitellius (31 BC–69 AD), by C. H. V. Sutherland, London, 1923 (revised 1984)

• volume 2 : Vespasian–Hadrian (69–138), by Harold Mattingly, Edward Allen Sydenham, London, 1926

• volume 3 : Antoninus Pius–Commodus (138–192), by H. Mattingly, E.A. Sydenham, London, 1930

• volume 4a : Pertinax–Geta and Caracalla (193–217), by H. Mattingly, E. A. Sydenham, London, 1936

• volume 4b : Macrinus–Pupienus (217–238), by H. Mattingly, E.A. Sydenham, C. H. V. Sutherland London, 1930

• volume 4c : Gordian III–Uranius Antoninus (238–253), by H. Mattingly, E. A. Sydenham, C.H.V. Sutherland, London, 1949

Continued next post...

 

*awkward*

 

• volume 5a : Valerian–Florian (253–276), by Percy H. Webb, London, 1927

• volume 5b : Marcus Aurelius Probus–Maximian (276–310), by Percy H. Webb, London, 1933

• volume 6 : The Diocletian Reform–Maximinus II (294–313), by C. H. V. Sutherland, London, 1967

• volume 7 : Constantine I–Licinius (313–337), by P. M. Bruun, 1966

• volume 8 : The Family of Constantine I (337–364), by J. P. C. Kent, London, 1981

• volume 9 : Valentinian I–Theodosius I (364–395)

• volume 10 : The Divided Empire, 395–491, by J. P. C. Kent, London, 1994
  • Western Roman Empire : Flavius Honorius–Romulus Augustus (395-476)

• • Eastern Roman Empire : Flavius Arcadius–Zeno (395-491)

 

oops, sorry Doug ... I merely posted without reading that you had a caboose-post on the way (errr, great set)

 

Picking my 15 made me realize that the RIC centered idea slighted two areas so we should add a Gallic coin of Postumus through Tetricus or a British coin of Carausius or Allectus.
I'll give a Carausius overstruck on a Victorinus combining the two in one and fulfilling JA's 8 coin suggestion in only 16 coins. That, folks, is why I don't like limited collecting. If I want a coin, I want a coin and I don't care that I already had something in that group.

 

That's a marvelous collection indeed, Doug. In fact, I have my FORVM gallery organized by RIC volumes. Yes, the Gallic Empire should be represented in a separate category despite RIC.

 

It's OK, Steve, I only had two cabooooses. Time for someone else to show 8 or 17 or some Greeks or......

 

thanks for letting me off of the hook



Yah, I'd start a one of each animal post, but my wife is telling me that I've spent enough time coining today!!



... I love her ...