So, I have bought most of the easier to get Sogdian coins, (none are "easy"), and have bought a lot of Kushan, and there just doesn't seem to be much on the market. I am kind of getting tired of searching and finding nothing to buy in Central Asian, (for some reason the Greeks do nothing for me). I am looking where I should concentrate more. My choices would be: 1. Sassanid, (I have many but not a lot on the market either) 2. Parthian, (same, but not as many as Sassanid) 3. Roman Republican 4. Early 4th century Roman, (I love "art deco" looking busts) 5. Something completely different and obscure. I like Celtic, Kyrenaika, Punic, but not many appear on the market. What do ya'll think? I would still pursue Sogdian/Hepthalite when I found them, and of course obscure coins, but just not get so involved in them. I go through phases like this, and walk away a little before I get burned out. Of course, I could instead just actually work on cataloging the stuff sitting in my shelves. Chris
I recommend the cataloging option but second choice would be the Early 4th century Roman. I just got my Frank Robinson winnings today and they did NOT include the Maximinus II follis that sold for $1451 reduced from a bid of $2700. Somebody really wanted that one. I bid more on it than on any of the lots I did win but probably was not in the top fifty bidders. Was it you?
I'm with Doug - definitely start cataloging. You will undoubtedly find your interest in certain areas rekindled.
Lol, asking me if I bid $2700 on a coin! Well, ok maybe if it were the right one, but certainly not a late roman bronze, no offense. Well, I respect your and Arditirion's opinion, maybe I will try to spend some more time on what I have. I was going to go to Chicago, though, som maybe wander around and see what speaks to me. I wish it were 10 years ago and I still had access to good Chinese material.
You've told me you have boxes of coins in packages you've never opened...like the others I would catalog what isnt cataloged already. Although I dont buy large lots, I do catalog as soon as a coin arrives in the mail but ive always been that way with any collection I have. For the area after cataloging, I would go with Punic!
If Chris stops buying wildly, several dealers will go out of business and their children will starve. We should feel guilty suggesting the catalog option. There are many late Roman coins that sell well over $2700. Of course most are gold but there are bronzes easily in that ballpark in high grade.
Lol, I bet Frank has gotten over me not winning very much lately. In fact, most of my dealers seem to have been doing well without me. I haven't bought much lately except for a few books. I did get a couple lots of Kushan, ( 15 Vima Kadphases(sp?)), last weekend but I am a cheap butt many times. Hmm, I should go look at the coin you were bidding on Doug. I knew many medals and the like could bring that kind of money, but not normal sized bronzes.
My recommendation is involve yourself in a period or aspect of history that you enjoy the most. For example, if your interest were the third century of the Empire, you could collect relatively inexpensively many of the multitude of Emperors and their wives, as well as late Parthians and the Sassanians who supplanted them. Because literary and epigraphic sources are so sparse, coins could be an important tool for understanding the period. I "accumulate" coins to better understand the history that interests me. Not the other way around. guy
Well I meant in the marketplace sir. I own many of the major references ABC, BM, Van Arsdell, etc, but I almost never find any for sale.
