Ancient (coin) books ;)

Although I have lurked here for a few months, I have yet to buy an ancient coin. This is mostly because I don't intend to be sucked in to a field without being properly informed (I.E. falling horsemen or camp gates). Thus the need for ancient coin books. Also, I don't want to spend a boatload of money on RIC or sundry expensive tomes. In light of this, do any of you fine sirs (and lady) have advice of what to acquire in the way of Romans?

 

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David Sears "Roman Coins & Their Values" are a good set to have. Currently 4 volumes.

 

I'd recomend Wayne G. Sayles. Vol I and III. If you want to spend a grand, my local shop has a set on RIC

Might want to check out Dougs website too. In general, and his book reviews


http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/book.html

 

This keeps coming up and I always disagree with the answers given. Most books on coins are just catalogs of what is available edited down to what will fit in the book. I'd prefer a book about the coins in general illustrated with examples but most of these are out of print and expensive or really not all that well done. Sometimes there are used copies at cheap prices. They have new ones for $300 but I'd buy the $10.44 one and $289 worth of other stuff.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...d_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=&qid=
This is a nice book but most copies seem to be in the UK or overpriced. I do see a couple in the US in well used shape but I still think there is a lot of book there for the money. Unfortunately coffee table books like this tend to emphasize expensive coins rather than what I suggest beginners buy. I'm sure others will recommend Sear and Sayles not to mention ERIC (a catalog to end all catalogs but relatively less useful, IMHO, unless your goal is a catalog number rather than information).

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=1-29&qid=1385168580

Why does Amazon have two listings for this book. There are more US copies here.

 

Numiswiki has quite a few books in the public domain for free download. Before you spend any money, check these out...

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Library of Ancient Coinage

 

I think worth mentioning as a free catalog resource is Rasiel Suarez's first edition of the Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coins (ERIC), available as a free pdf download on his website (http://www.dirtyoldbooks.com/eric.html), or on Forvm (http://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=ERIC)

Z.

 

I see that one sold. If it was to one of you, please post a review when you have read it. I know I will just have to get used to being in the minority on this but I see no benefit to a beginner who has no coins to know the RIC, Sear, ERIC or whatever number of a coin and loads of benefit in the ocean of tidbits about the coins and mint practices as they fit their society.

 

I couldn't possibly agree with this comment more. Mere catalogs are of nominal value to me. What do they tell me? That somebody else collected a certain coin and gave it a number. So I put that number in my attributions as if it were something important. Perhaps it is, to a degree, but it tells me nothing about MY coin other than the fact that it's not unique.

I've discovered that I'm drawn to in-depth analyses. I recently bought all the volumes of Lindgren and Varbanov, and the most interesting parts of those catalogs to me, are the introductory explanations. I would much prefer to read back issues of Numismatic Chronicle, many of which can be had as FREE downloads.

 

While I agree that for a beginner with no coins it's pretty useless to know the catalog numbers, at least as far as the Sear books are concerned, I'd add that there's quite abit of other information useful to a beginner to be had.

I can't comment much on how in depth or scholarly this information is since I'm still a beginner myself, but he has sections that cover denominations, dating of coins, legends, quite abit on themes found on reverses, brief backgrounds on each ruler and sometimes notes on their coinage, a good representative bunch of coin photos, and some numismatic and historical notes on specific coin issues.

Sure, you'll find all this and more in other books, and even on the web for free, but for this beginner at least it was useful to have it all together in a good volume of books. And after that still own and refer to the books as an attributive guide and catalog that's used by a large number of other collectors out there.

Z.

 

Doug, someone else must have bought the copy that you were referring to (see above quote), but I also purchased a copy of this recommended book ... it was a mere $4.66 (used first edition in "very good" condition) ... but sadly, after shipping costs, it was closer to being $20 (delivered from the UK) ...

=> however, considering that there were also two brand new copies selling for over $300 each, I decided to pull the trigger and ordered this book ... the book has 312 pages, 572 illustrations and 20 color plates, so how could I go wrong, right?

Ummm, once I have skimmed-through this book, I will try to remember to send you my thumbs-up and/or thumbs-down comments (NOTE => stevex6's comments are often taken with a grain of salt)

Thanks for the lead on another coin-book (you haven't lead me astray, "yet")

 

Vlaha, being a YN and a collector of World and modern coins, moving to ancients is great, after you spent some time learning about each coin you collect, then buy a Emperor or a coin that appeals to you, i don't do this because i buy what ever looks good to me, then i learn about it..

 

I agree that the Wayne Sayles books are the best for a beginner who wants to understand the field. Sayles is a blue collar kind of guy himself, not your Oxbridge Museum Numismatist. He was an enlisted man in the USAF; and he was stationed in Turkey and got interested in ancient coins. He completed college degrees and retired as an officer; his last degree was perhaps an MA in history or an MFA in art history. (I think he finished that after he retired.) He started The Celator magazine about 1990 and edited it for about ten years. He also resigned from the ANA over politics. Sayles has the heart of a hobbyist.

I disagree on the value of the standard catalogues. I relied on them when I started, but if you want something else, then let me recommend Roman Coins by Harold Mattingly. It tells the numismatic history. David Vagi's two-volume history of Roman coins is a cross between a catalog and a narrative.

In addition to buying the Sayles books, you should investigate your local libraries.

When I started, I had the Michigan State University Library at my disposal. They had the British Museum Catalogs, the magazines, etc., and tall stacks of books on numismatics, especially ancients. Anyone can use a library.

To get a card, I paid a community fee. It was $30 back then, but is more now, but is still cheaper than the U of M community card.

Here in Texas, to get a UT card, I first had to have a city library card for six months, then get a State Library Card. Then, I got the UT card. (Free.)

Also your local city library may well be able to get almost any book for you via Inter Library Loan. "I-L-L" they call it. (Some libraries charge you for the ILL fees like shipping. But it is still inexpensive.)

It depends on what consortiums they pay to join. When I was teaching at Lansing Community College, they did not have a way to get MSU books for me, but got one via the University of Cincinnati - go figure...

Moreover, if you join the ANA for $46 per year, you can borrow books from their library for the cost of shipping and insurance both ways. You also get online access to the magazine and back issues. Other benefits come along also. It just depends on your actual interest in numismatics.

The bottom line is to start with your local library and see about getting the books by Wayne Sayles, Harold Mattingly, and David Vagi.

 

I'm happy to see someone else recommend non-catalogs. I like the text in Sayles but he really offended me by using so many photos of just one side of a coin. I really like to see both sides. Mattingly was one of my first books but I never replaced the copy I sold back in 1974. I enjoyed Vagi to a point, especially the History volume, but the catalog was the worst possible type. He lists a few rare types for each ruler and the lumps the rest under one head giving prices for coins in various grades. He does not tell you what those common types are just how much you might pay for one.

I got some value out of the Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins by Jones but new copies sell for more than I'd pay. He also has a Greek volume but it seems to sell for more. Avoid the Dictionary of Roman Coins by Stevenson reprints since that is available online as an out of copyright title. Most books that are out of copyright (pre-1923) are a bit dated. Duh! On the other hand, for ancient coins, the 1980's are like yesterday since it takes decades, not months, to do a good book.

Roman Imperial Coins, Their Art & Technique by Breglia is also decent reading for fans of coffee table books and worth the $15 used copies bring. These and the Sutherland book I recommended higher up here often are found accessioned from libraries that discovered no one checked them out in the last ten years so the were dumped on the used book trade. Those allergic to ex-library books will be offended.

 

Sound advice mostly, however, I should note that I am a member of the ANA, and have a library card (with has almost no ancient coin books in there system). Because I live in Oregon the ANA shipping for a few books is pretty steep, so I am looking for books to buy. As for Vagi, my local coin club has a library which has a copy of his two volume set.

I was not impressed with his work.

I will check out Sayles and Mattingly, they sound good.

Cheers all!

 

Well Doug, my $4.66 book by C.H.V. Sutherland arrived the other day ... and although I certainly haven't had a chance to read through the entire book, I can give you my quick first impressions:
I really think that the book is a total winner!! ... it is a bit of combination of several other books that I own ... for example:

=> it has David Sear-esque descriptions of each coin, including the coin's mint-date and the obverse & reverse descriptions ... ummm, but it doesn't have a relative $$ comparison, which I love about the Sears books ... oh, but it does include the coin diameters and weights

=> it has super coin-photos, kinda like ERIC II (some colour plates, but mostly black and white coin-photos) ... the coin photos are all sweet big babies!! (even the smaller photos are 40-50mm in diameter and several of the larger photos are 100cm in diameter!! ... yup, that part is very cool)

NOTE => but unlike Sear and ERIC II, this book does "not" contain info and photos on "every" Roman coin ... this book is a far lighter read than those two previosuly mentioned books. Sutherland's book basically describes the evolution of Roman coins, rather than trying to be an inventory of every Roman coin.

=> hey Doug, my new $4.66 book is far closer to being kinda like John Anthony's "Collecting Greek Coins" (which you also recommended and I enjoyed thoroughly) ... basically, the author takes you on a journey through the evolution of Roman coinage ...

Chapters include:

I - The Earliest Coinage of the Roman Republic (32 pages of photos and info)

II - The Introduction and Supremecy of the Denarius, circa 211-100 BC (30 pages)

III - Republican Coinage in the Time of the Imperatores, 100-48 BC (18 pages)

IV - The End of the Roman Republic, 48-27 BC (36 pages)

V - The Reformed Coinage of Augustus and its Development down to Nero, 27BC-67AD (44 pages)

VI - Dissolution and the New Imperial Dynasties (The Flavians, Trajan, and the Antonines, 68-192 AD (44 pages)

VII - Inflation, Decentralization, and Reform (From the Severi to Diocletian), 193-305 AD (42 pages)

VIII - The Final Stage: From Constantine I to Romulus Augustulus, (26 pages)

... followed by 28 pages of notes on the text, glossary, index, etc ...

Here are a few photos of this diamond in the rough:




Yah, as I stated earlier => "I really liked it" ... but again, it certainly isn't a coin-inventory like the David Sear books and/or like ERIC II (Sutherland's book is merely a really cool book on Roman coins ... nothing too fancy and deep ... just cool)

Ummm, I hope this helps (oh, and if you click on the photos they should enlarge, so that you can take a closer peek)

Cheers

 

The same series also has greek and byzantine volume Steve. I recommend those as well.

For one book on romans I recommend Sears 1988 version of roman coins and their values. Its the last one volume issue, pink cover.

Sayles is ok, but you will outgrow it quickly.

 

Ah, yes, does anyone know a nice guide to tetradrachms of Egypt?

P.S. Southerland's book is now on my Christmas list.

 

Curtis and Milne are the standards I believe. Whichever was published around 1990 is the latest, (sorry not around my library right now).

Edit: its actually Alexandrian Coins by Emmett that is the latest book.

 

I hope you realize how relieved I am that Steve does not feel I caused him to squander the lofty sum of $4.66 on a book that failed to give values on the coins but I'll fill in there and point out that the images you provided include more coins that you can't afford than cheapies. I will emphasize that I stated that I would not buy the book for $300 being asked for new copies buy I refused to buy the book you love for $150 so I'm not a good place to go for values. I am a fan of used books. I have one on order that cost 50 cents and $3.99 postage but, by the time I finish digesting it, I doubt it will be worth that much with all these turned pages.

I do prefer to buy new copies of books when I want to support the author's coming financially into the black on the project. That would be for what I consider to be a good book. Mr Sutherland's book is out of print so he will be getting royalties. Since he died in 1986, that may be of less import. What makes a difference now is the condition of the book. After I read it, I suspect it will be 'used' so a copy that was bought be a collector who never read it or a library that had no patrons interested in coins will be good enough for me.