Decided to invest in Roman Silver Coins (not what you think)

Yes, decided to invest in Roman Silver Coins. Wait, before you scream "I knew Sallent could not be trusted, talking about investing in ancient coins!", let me be more precise: Roman Silver Coins by H.A Seaby, Volumes I, II, III, and IV, printed from 1968-1971.

I should be receiving them in the next few weeks. These are not mint condition, but honest used copies which I intend to use regularly for my own personal reference and study...so I didn't want to spend a fortune for collector grade stuff when I intend to use these extensively for educational/ research purposes.

Now all I'm missing is Volume V, if anyone knows where I can find one. At least volumes I through IV cover my areas of interest, but I may decide to eventually collect late Roman silver and it would be nice to have a whole set.

Besides, how can I get serious about collecting when all I spend my money on is coins and nothing on education?

What do you guys think of RIC 1-5?

 

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In this hobby, the more you learn and the better you collect and win. I agree with you that we need to spend a minimum on books or other sources. We always need some luck as well to fall on a site like ours. Cheers..

 

Congratulations on your purchase. Books are an absolutely crucial investment. Good luck on Vol. V. Don't overpay for one out of impatience. One will turn up for you!

 

Volume I of that same series sits and broods on my list of upcoming purchases. I'll be curious to find out how you like the series. A number of people whose opinion I respect far more than my own have recommended them to me.

Plus, I did have the realization recently that I don't have to actually buy coins to study them or find them fascinating. Of course I'll still buy some, but it's far far cheaper to read about them.

 

Yes, education is important. I don't want to constantly be relying on others to tell me what something is.

One day I'm going to be a seasoned ancient coins collector, and what message would it send to a newbie when I can't answer a simple question because I never bothered to learn the basics or do my research. I'm still looking for a good reference book for Greek coinage, and one for Islamic. Any recommendations in either area would be helpful.

 

I'm not criticizing, but I do not get this concept at all. To me this is like saying I don't have to have sex, I'll just read about it. The feeling I get with a 2000 year old coin in hand is nearly indescribable (except with the sex analogy).

 

I like that series a lot more than I probably should. I would warn that there are different dated editions. I have the 1967 volume 1 second edition which is a lovely book with great line drawings of the coins. I also have the 1978 thrird edition which has nice photos. In truth, I like the drawings better BUT the 2nd edition listings of Republican coins does not have Crawford numbers (published after 1967). I take my 1967 edition with me to shows and have penciled in notes on the ones I own while keeping the 1978 one at home for reference.

Volume IV ends with Postumus. Relatively few silver coins were issued after Postumus so you might find that volume less significant unless you are interested in siliquae etc.

 

Thanks for the info on Volume V. I guess I don't need it that badly then, but I'll keep a passive eye out for it anyway. I'm just glad I was able to piece together a late 60s-early 70s set of second edition volumes I-IV. It was hard to find. I had to buy the books from different sellers individually and most only had one copy left in stock of the individual volumes.

 

No offense taken at all. I can understand why you, or many other people here, would question this idea. But I did sneak a nuance in there, I said that I don't have to buy coins, I didn't say that I wasn't going to buy any coins.

This bizarre thought occurred to me while thinking of immensely great rarities. I'm fascinated by and have studied the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, but I'll never own one or hold one in my hand (unless something very monumental happens to me), the same goes for other coins that remain beyond my reach: Elizabethan gold pounds, most Meiji era Japanese gold, and a host of other ancient and medieval coins that I might see in a museum but will never actually touch. These fascinate me to no end, but the urge to actually buy one would frustrate me to insanity. So I just extended this concept to any and all coins and realized, yes, I still want to buy coins, but to appreciate them I don't really need to.

I also agree that there is nothing like the experience of holding a coin in your hand and basking in it's historicity. I'm not questioning that at all.

And though I find the sex analogy a little exaggerated, the same concept applies. There have been people, great rarities so to say, who I would very much like to have that experience with, but I never have or will. This does not stop my endless fascination with those thoughts.

 

Volume V will be easy to find and cheaply. Look here:

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/an...c_e_king_and_david_r_sear/600096/Default.aspx

$20! Make no mistake though (like I have in years past) that one series supersedes another. RIC is largely the best, but some works were done or updated afterwards and contains some coins RIC doesnt list. Cohen and BMC may be less useable, but still relevant. Just like Crawford and Sydenham have their place alongside RSC I.

 

Thanks. Let me ask you, what reference book do you recommend for Greek coinage? I need to pick up something in that area too

 

Touche'

 

RSC I (1978 edition) covers Republican coins and is still remarkably useful even though it is arranged completely differently from most. Long ago before so much was known about chronology, Republican coins were organized by grouping moneyers by family. So, a coin might be "Cassia 7" (using Babelon's system) which leaves the chronology a mystery. However, this book, arranged by family and use Babelon numbers, also gives Crawford's ID and dates, which can really help you find the modern ID when a seller identifies his coin with this outdated system. This happens surprisingly often, especially when coins are from old collections or from Europe.

 

So you are saying that in addition to my 2nd edition late 60s- RSC, I should also pick up volume I of the 1978 edition?

 

That's not as easy to answer as Roman is. One can get Sears introductory two volume set as it is a good overview. A step up would be SNGCopenhagen, arguably the best of the SNG's, but getting a set will be harder, likely over $1,000. There were some remaindered BMC sets a while back from CNG, I think they are gone. Probably the best choice will be to go with the Hoover set from CNG. Currently 8 volumes, I think there will be 12 eventually. They are $65 each and a good choice for completeness, especially so as they are current and you can just buy one at a time so it wont break the bank.

 

I would say that (but I didnt post it) mainly because I really dislike line drawings and prefer photos!

 

Crawford was published in 1973. If you want Crawford numbers and dates for Republican coins (and you do), you need an edition of RSC I published later than 1973. I use my 1978 edition frequently. I see there is a "2006" edition but I do not know that it is a real "edition." I think it may be just a reprint.

 

I am looking for an Oliver Hoover Vol. 8 (North Africa)... Anyone know where I may find?

 

Hoover's Handbooks are published by CNG:

http://www.cngcoins.com/Coins.aspx?CATEGORY_ID=2914&VIEW_TYPE=0

It seems volume 8 is not yet out.

 

Thanks for clarifying. I tried there, and other sites. You helped clarify it for me that it is not out yet.