What's a good Ancient silver coin to start with?

Ok, I think I'll look into ancient Vikings silver coins.

Is there a recommended and reputable database to look them all up in one massive list w/ pictures right next to the names/specs?

Thanks in advance!

 

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I don't collect Viking coins, but try Vcoins first to see what they might have.

 

Coins of the Viking age generally get kind of pricey, usually a few hundred dollars at minimum. For your stated budget of ~$100 you might score a problem example, but for something good be prepared to pay more.

 

Vcoins seems to be out of Viking coins at the moment. I'll have to browse random sites to see what I can find and check back here.

 

I'll give eBay a try.

I may have to settle on this one until I get a better feeling for ancient coins to dish out that much lol:

 

gawd? ... that's so not ancient!!

cool toning though (I hope that it's real) ... very cool choice (I'm lovin' the sweet prow)

 

Can anyone help me identify which coin I recall seeing on here? It's a mounted war elephant. I think it was silver and it may have been someone's avatar or a picture I saw on CT. Is it from Hannibal's period? Thanks in advance!

 

I think there is more than one war elephant coin, but this one is famous:

and has a book about it.
My favorite elephant coin is Roman Republican:

 

Thanks, I think the elephant was facing left just as the Roman Republic one you show, but there's a large-ish mount on it like a mini tower. When I see it, I'll know it.

 

maybe one of these?

Augustus AR Denarius. L. Aquillius Florus, moneyer. Rome, 19 BC. Draped bust of Virtus right, wearing helmet with a long crest and feather on side, L•AQVILLIVS FLORVS•III•VIR around / Augustus driving biga of elephants left, holding laurel branch over their backs; AVGVSTVS above; CAESAR below. RIC 301; BMC 36; C. 354. 3.66g, 20mm, 2h.

 

This thread has pointed out the fact that there are miooions of ancient coins but when you start getting specific about wanting details like elephants or historical connections you have heard of (Vikings, Caligula etc.) the choices are not cheap. Of course the same goes for modern coins like that Norse American which sells a bit above face, too. We regularly get inquiries here from new collectors looking for a starter ancient but what they really want is more of a mansion than a starter home. Sometimes we get lucky and get an elephant like the one on this relatively cheap Philip but were non collectors think elephant, they want Hannibal.

 

Well heck, I'll post an elephant that didn't break the bank:

TITUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M, laureate head right
REVERSE: TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP, elephant walking left
Struck at Rome, 80 AD
2.5g, 17mm
RIC 115

 

Doug, When I saw miooions, my thoughts went to the Minions movie my grandson watches often. I will not post Minions here. You also tell it like it is (or as you see it), or more to the point, "how the cow ate the cabbage". For that I will post an elephant story link here:
http://www.word-detective.com/2010/01/how-the-cow-ate-the-cabbage/comment-page-1/

 

Some Viking era stuff...
Unready...


Cnut

 

Don't we all?

 

Thanks everyone for your input!

I think the elephant I recall had a "tower" mounted atop, like the last coin.

Probably a mounted elephant archer. The elephant was front and center with no other images added to the reverse. The particular example that I saw was a very strong strike.

But, I believe that the elephant was facing left.

 

I believe it may have been this war elephant mounted archers of Hannibal:

 

it's uncertain whether hannibal's elephants were asian or african.
if they were asian elephant, then they couldn't had been employed in the fashion depicted by Henri Paul Motte.

Funny thing is, in the few instances where asian elephants were used against the african specie, the sides employing the smaller guys won. They are also supposed to be stronger despite weighting far less.

Both specie were used predominantly as shock units anyway, melee, not missile.

 

Love that Cnut AN, and that Aethelred is amazing.Your post reminds me that I need some Anglo-Saxon coins.