My First Ancient coin(s)

I know this has been done before but we have a lot of new collectors who may like to participate. Back in 2006 or so, I found an ad online for a set of Judaean coins complete with a certificate of authenticity. I decided that I had to have it. The certificate of authenticity was very important to me because I had ZERO skills in determining authenticity. When I received the collection, I studied the coins and was instantly hooked. I began purchasing coins from FORVM because I didn’t know who else to trust. Anyway, I know a lot of trustworthy and dependable dealers now and purchase from them frequently. I was particularly interested in the coins with images of people on them. There were two such coins in the boxed set—a Nabataean and a Seleucid coin.

Feel free to post coins that represent the first ancient coins that you purchased.

 

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Nice box.

Here is my first ancient coin, bought in 1999. It's not only the first ancient coin, but the first coin I ever collected. I still have it.



Attica. Athens
New Style Tetradrachm
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right.
Rev: Owl standing right on amphora, Dioscuri left, holding sceptre and patera, A - ΘE flanking owl's head, MIKIΩN EYPYKΛEI ΣΩKRATHΣ magistrates, ME below amphora, E on amphora. All within wreath
AR, 16.22g,29mm
Ref.: Thompson 483 a,b
Ex Pegasi Numismatics, 1999

 

My first, purchased from a brick and morter coin shop when I was in grad school, about 1986ish (I've lost all records of coins purchased before about 2005 due to a computer crash and obsolete storage technology). You've seen it a thousand times, but it's still one of my favorite coins:

 

Wow! That's really nice! How much did you pay for this? If you don't mind me asking.

 

That’s a great coin, @shanxi ! I love the owl.

 

No problem, @Shrews1994 . You can find them on eBay for $400–$500. I bought mine from https://www.educationalcoin.com . I was able to get a slight discount because I represented a nonprofit educational organization.

 

I bought a batch:





Athens - AR Tets


Makedon Alexander III 336-323 BC AR Drachm 3 Suse

 

Awesome! Yes, your well known avatar.

 

When I bought these ten Romans (off Vcoins), it was really a novelty purchase that I didn't want to break the bank with. I reckoned they would more than likely be my one-off dalliance with ancient coins.



I was nearly correct, as when I first received them and had them in hand, I found them so unexciting that it was almost a year before I even had the urge to look at another ancient coin. Since then, however, I've been proven wrong about 3000 times over.

Oh yes, my bank has been broken ever since, but happily so.

 

My first two a long time ago, "in a galaxy far, far away".

MARCUS ANTONIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley, thyrsos behind prow
REVERSE: LEG XI, eagle between standards
Patrae 32-31 BC
3.05g, 16mm
RSC 27


AUGUSTUS
AE Quadran
OBVERSE: SISENNA MESSALLA IIIVIR, altar
REVERSE: APRONIVS GALLVS AAAFF around SC
Rome 5 BC , Moneyers Apronius, Galus, Messalla, and Sisena
3.0g, 17mm
RIC 463 or 200 in Old RIC

 

My first 2 ancients were gifts from my Dad (both fourees)



and one of the first purchases i made:

 

Lots of people still have their first coin, and I do as well. I bought it in 1985 for $29. I remember on the way home trying to do the math on how much is was worth per century (BTW its about $1.65 per century, or 1.7 cents per year. Chump change, really, even if rounding up to 2 cents per year, and even though I did overpay for the time).


Valerian I, 253 – 260 AD
Silver Antoninianus, Rome Mint, 21mm, 3.88 grams
Obverse: IMP C LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Valerian right.
Reverse: RESTITVT ORIENTIS, The Orient standing on left presenting wreath to Valerian who stands on the right.
References:
RIC287

 

That's a really cool double strike.

 

That's really neat @Deacon Ray ! While I don't have my very first coin - here is an example of the type....

 

Thanks! Kinda funny, my first gorgon coin doesn't actually have a gorgon thanks to that fun "flaw".

 

My first ancient coin purchase was an unseen group lot from another CoinTalk member. I've shared them many times but here they are:

 

That’s a superb “Parliament” of owls!

 

Heres my first

Constantinople Commemorative
Struck under Constantine the Great, 334-335AD
Siscia mint - BSIS
OBV: CONSTANTINOPOLIS
REV: Victory standing on prow of ship with a sceptre and shield
18.5mm
2,1g

 

It’s okay, @Jwt708 ! I can’t speak for everybody but I never get tired of seeing them.

 

Wow there are some spectacular coins here! I am a US collector that happened by the table of an ancients dealer at a show. I was so drawn to this bust of Christ that I had to own this. I didn't even know what I was buying at the time. My first and finest Anonymous Follis.