For me, it is the sense and sweep of history associated with the coins and the fact that one can handle something that existed and was used by people in ancient times. Oftentimes, coins can provide additional detail to what can be a sketchy historical record. For example, we don't know too much about Balbinus and Pupienus, but we can conclude based on coin evidence that Pupienus' celebrated his victory over Maximinus Thrax, to pick just one example. Since I have always been fascinated with ancient history I started collecting ancients at age 11, and after a long break resumed in 2013. I found Cointalk in 2017 and joined, and since then I have gotten more enjoyment from the hobby as a social experience with knowledgeable folks rather than just sitting by myself and staring at the coins. Who knows what the future holds? I may become a specialist in one area or two after I have completed my quest to collect a coin of each emperor and significant personages. Anyway, I have been having a lot of fun. So what's your ancient coin story???
It is cosmic payback for how bad I was to my 8th grade Latin teacher. Plus you get to hold some really neat stuff like the Sigma / Acorn semiuncia that arrived today!
I collect Roman coins for two reasons. The first and most important thing is that I love ancient history and coins reinforce this love. The other reason is that I love the artistry you see on ancient coins.
I collect ancient coins because I have a deeply embedded neurosis that psycho-therapy & other treatments can't free me from . Just kidding of course . I collect ancient coins for the same reasons you do, love of ancient history, art, & a need for a hobby that I can escape to when necessary .
The power and the women. That and I just love how history and artistry are combined in this little hobby of Kings of ours
I don’t actively collect ancient coins (yet), but I collect coins that reference/depict Christ. I’ve got three Byzantines to my name. I don’t collect actively due to lack of knowledge and time. I do like that ancient coins can be “played with” unlike most others, and love holding history.
I have always had a love for history as I imagine all of us here do. But my historical knowledge went back as far as WWII with a smattering of other important world events/people. Then I started really delving into Roman coins and history. It has totally opened up my historical world view. Not just Roman but Greek, Persian, Gothic...it really is endless and I love it.
Like everyone else, I've always been fascinated with history. But the historical facts I was familiar with were mostly US history until I was stationed in Europe in the mid 1970's. My sons and I used to visit old castle ruins often, and in fact, purchased a complete suit of plate armor for my youngest son one year for Christmas. Then we went on leave to Italy. That was my wake up call. Florence and Pisa were great, but Rome touched something in me. Then a trip to Trier and the history buff in me woke up. Shortly after returning to the US, I purchased my first Roman coin. A Marcus Antonius Legionary denarius. The rest, as they say, is history.
Agreed on the above. However, collecting Ancients is a chick magnet. . . . . . . . . . . . . LOL, Well not really. I just thought the YOUNG, unmarried numismatists would have something else to aspire to, rather than all our reasons we just stated...
I collect Greek coins for the art And the great rulers behind it I collect Roman coins mainly for the portraiture, whether for someone who changed the course of Western history Or for the ones who held the reigns of power only for the briefest moments I collect non-classicals for their art Or for their rugged charm Their great rulers on the fringes of history The ones who never reached its pages And the mysteries still left to unravel
Since I was a young child I have been enthralled by history especially older historic times like ancient Egypt but yearned to get my hands on something anything dating back to those times, and alas nothing until my mid fifties and I stumbled across a 375 AD Gratian coin and WOW I thought that was the best thing since sliced bread. I was mesmerized and flew into ancient coin collecting like it was always meant to happen and have not looked back, collecting architecture just reinforces that especially when I visit ancient ruins. My first coin, that will always remain in my collection.
There is nothing left to say after Finn235's great answer except what furryfrog02 said. You can study these things all your life and still find things you did not know, coins you never saw even a few civilizations you had never knew existed. If you think you know it all, you are wrong. It really is endless.
I am not stuck on the pieces of metal. I appreciate art, but do not collect mainly for that reason. The reason I collect is to: 1. Have a connection with the past. Being able to hold something from very different eras of human history is appealing to me. 2. To force me to learn about history. I just made another post about one of the last tetradrachms ever made in Persia. I never thought about how weird it was for the Persians to make these coins, and what must have been happening when they finally wound down production for these people. This is a topic I most likely would not have researched much if not for this coin.
1. It is fun! 2. I am collector at heart. I will always collect something. 3. I enjoy holding a piece of history in my hand. 4. I enjoy reading about the history that surrounds these coins.
It’s a kid’s dream to travel in time, in the past. When I open my coins’ binders and dive in it, I can assure you the dream become a reality. The present disappear and I’m back in time 20 centuries ago...