My wife as expressed an interest in wheat pennies and ancients, and since the wheat penny bag isn't going so well I thought I would buy her a few ancients. However, I'm not interested in fakes or replicas. So I'm looking for some feedback and info from you fine ppl :smile Are there any good books? Which give info on history, pricing, counterfeiting, etc? What do you think of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Claudius-II-A-D...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262 http://cgi.ebay.com/Constantine-II-...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262 http://cgi.ebay.com/Gratian-A-D-367...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262 http://cgi.ebay.com/Helena-A-D-305-...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262 There are a few more but I think you get the idea. Is there a better place to acquire these type of coins? at better prices? Thanks, Fred
Ebay is probably the best place to acquire coins of this quality - vcoins sellers tend to have higher prices for the lower stuff. Here's the people I watch on ebay: Amphora Coins - the ebay shop of David Hendin, author of the Guide to Biblical Coins. Some higher quality stuff, many ancient Judean coins. Probably not the first stop for a beginner. Lists about every other week. http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d...PageName=STRK:MEFSX:MESOI&userid=amphoracoins Ancient Auction House - Good selection of coins, both low quality/cheap and high quality/expensive. Avoid the silver coins of Apollonia Pontica, Istros, and Parion - they are most likely fakes. Lists daily. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/ancientauctionhouse.com_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ Antiquarica - Good selection of all quality coins. I recommend starting with some of the bronzes at the bottom. Lists weekly. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/antiquarica_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ Beast Coins - Ebay shop of vcoins dealer. The place to go for high-grade late Roman coins. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/beastcoins_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ FORVM - ebay shop of the web dealer FORVM Ancient Coins. I highly recommend them, a good selection of quality. If you see something in their shop that you like, but don't think will sell at that price, wait a while, it may appear on ebay! http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/forumancientcoins_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ Numismatik Lanz - Ebay shop of renowned German dealer. Exceptional range of quality. Prices tend to spike at the last minute, so be prepared for sniping action. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/numismatiklanz_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ S*P*Q*R - Good selection of generally lower-quality coins. Decent prices. Listing seems pretty random, though. Nothing up now. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/s*p*q*r_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ I'd also recommend borrowing from the library the Ancient Coin Collecting books by Wayne Sayles, they're a great introduction to the hobby.
As far as not ebay goes, here are the people I tend to buy from. Bargain Bin Ancients - Good selection of lower quality stuff at decent fixed prices. Excellent deals on better stuff, from time to time, but you have to be quick. http://bargainbinancients.com/zen/ FORVM Ancient Coins - Prices are pretty good, tend to be a bit high because of the extraordinary traffic they get. Check out the discussion board, too! http://www.forumancientcoins.com/ CNG - Primarily auctions, in print and online through their own service. Their fixed price list is expensive, and their auctions carry a 10% buyer's premium. A good place to find rarities, though. Not for the beginner. http://www.cngcoins.com/ --------------------------------------- VCoins Dealers - Everyone on vcoins is reliable. Prices and quality vary, though. Here's who I like: Incitatus - Great prices on lower to mid quality rarities. Great stuff in general. http://www.vcoins.com/ancient/incitatuscoins/store/whatsnew.asp Ephesus - Good prices on high-quality, big ticket items. Not so good for the lower stuff. http://www.vcoins.com/ancient/ephesus/store/whatsnew.asp Beast - I mentioned before in the Ebay post. The best for high grade Late Romans. http://www.vcoins.com/ancient/beastcoins/store/dynamicIndex.asp JJencek - Exceptional selection of high quality, rare provincials. Prices to match, unfortunately. http://www.vcoins.com/ancient/jencek/store/dynamicIndex.asp Holyland - The place to go for sand-patina late bronzes. A bit expensive on those, though. Also, one of the best places on the web to get ancient gold. http://www.vcoins.com/ancient/holyland/store/dynamicIndex.asp
I'll tell you this, I have no clue about ancients either but that hasn't stopped me from geting some nice ones and learning a ton about them from cointalk. http://www2.mrbrklyn.com/foreign.html
Wayne Sayles books are a pretty good starting point... http://www.vcoins.com/ancient/sayle...e/listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=21 ...also David Sear's books aren't bad. Those prices aren't to bad for coins in that quality. Ardatirion gave you some very good advice on places to shop. VCoins is great with quality honest dealers, but as he said prices tend to be a little high on the lower quality bronzes and stuff. Always have to be careful on ebay, although the VCoins dealers that sell there (Beast, Harlan Berk, Amphora (david hendin), Forvm, etc.) are generally safe. One of the biggest things when starting out is to look a lot and ask questions a lot. Plenty of folks will be willing to help.
Thanks for all the great info! I picked up a few last night as I was buying a few things for myself. I'll get some pictures when I get them. Out of curiousity, where do ancients come from? It's not like you find them in pocket change or roll searching, etc. Are they found in hoards? Are they still being found to date?
they are found in pretty large quantities each year. Its hard to say exactly how many because many if not most finds are not reported because of strict laws in the countries they are found in. So if a hoard is found in Serbia, a country that doesnt allow any trade in such things and criminalizes anyone who tries (or even tries to find them with a metal detector), it will not be reported and the coins will be sold to buyers all around the world...so its hard to say but I would say its easily in the 5 digits each year. If these countries had more fair laws, more people might be willing to report their finds...as it is, they have NO incentive to report any find. I was talking to a guy the other day who lives in the Balkans and he showed a picture of a hoard he found while farming...he did not report it and instead sold them off in uncleaned lots...I have seen quite a few pictures of hoard as they were found in the ground from the middle east to turkey so I have no doubt they are found, often, and often in large quantities....how great it must feel to be the first to find a stash of coins buried for thousands of years... Below are some hoards found: some found in a jar a serious find from someone I have conversed with in the middle east. above is the same hoard after some cleaning. coins from above cleaned Just htink how many more hoards are found each year and are yet to be found
Just to say it, it is a against the law to buy coins found in different archaeological sites and local laws should prevail. Ruben
the UK has fair laws, other laws are draconian and thus do little to stop looting as they offer no incentive for a person to report the find, reporting a find will always result in your find being taken from you regardless of how rare or how common the find is. The only way is for archeologist and museums to realize this and to break out of the mind set that they are the only people entitled to handle antiquities...keep what they are going to use and display, and offer the rest for sale to private collectors...otherwise there will be no change, finds will not be reported, and valuable information will be lost. Its hard to sympathize with an archeologist who would rather store thousands of coins in the basement of a museum, or worse, destroy what they do not feel is valuable enough to keep, simply to keep it out of the hands of collector, so as not to encourage the habit of collecting antiquities. Most collectors would be more than happy to wait for archeologists to complete their study and then buy the coins when all has been recorded and they are no longer serving a purpose. What collector wouldn't want to know exactly where their coin was found and what exact hoard it came from? In the end, if you own an ancient coin, odds are they came from a hoard like one of these...however it got to the market...no questions asked. The fact is that laws in many European and middle eastern countries are so draconian that you cant even sell the cheapest LRB found in their soil...so unless all your coins come from old collections, you most likely have bought a coin from an unreported hoard. They have left little recourse for those who wish to collect ancient coins. The UK has very fair laws. You find something, you report it, and if the government deems it is not important...you keep it and do as you please...I have seen this work as people WILL report finds...far more than in the Balkans where just LOOKING for antiquities is forbidden. ALL antiquities in some countries are considered 'important cultural property'...and all places where a coin is found is deemed an archeological site...period. But of course, its best not to knowingly buy a coin from a country who refuses to allow a single ancient coin found in its soil to be sold and the burden of proof as to where each coin came from is on them
Great pictures and information. about how these are found! I thought I'd post the coins I picked up the other night, along with the information that was posted with them (sellers pics and info). Not sure if any of it is correct. ClaudiusII AD268-270 Obverse: Radiate, Bare bust facing right. Legend is: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG Reverse: Providence standing left, leading on column w/cornucopia. Legend is: PROVIDENT AVG (Foresight of the Augustus) Constans AD337-350 Obverse: Diademed, Bare bust facing right. Legend is: D N CONSTANS PF AVG Reverse: VOT XX MVLT XXX in four lines inside of a wreqath. No legend-Symbolizes twenty years in power. ConstantineII AD337-340 Obverse: Laureate, Draped bust facing left. Legend is: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C Reverse: Campgate with one star above. Legend is: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS (Wisdom of the Ceasars) ConstantiusII AD337-361 Obverse: Diademed, Bare bust facing right. Legend is: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG Reverse: Two legionairies either side of one standard. Legend is: GLORIA EXERCITVS (Glory to the Military) Gallienus AD253-268 Obverse: Radiate, Bare bust facing right. Legend is: GALLIENVS AVG Reverse: Antelope walking left. Legend is: DIANAE CONS AVG (Diana Preserver of the Augustus)
A few more. Gratian AD367-383 Obverse: Diademed, Draped bust facing right. Legend is: D N GRATIANVS P F AVG Reverse: VOT XV MVLT XX in four lines inside wreath. No legend symbolizes fifteen years in power Helena AD305-306 Obverse: Diademed, Bare bust right. Legend is: FL IVL HELENAE AVG Reverse: Pax standing left. Legend is: PAX PVBLICA (Peace of the People) Theodosius AD379-395 Obverse: Diademed, Draped bust facing right. Legend is: D N THEODOSIVS P F AVG Reverse: VOT X MVLT XX in four lines within wreath symbolizing 10 years in power Valens AD364-378 Obverse: Diademed, Draped bust facing right. Legend is: D N VALENS P F AVG Reverse: Valens dragging captive to the right by hair. Legend is: GLORIA ROMANORVM (The Glory of Rome) ValentinianI AD364-375 Obverse: Diademed, Draped bust facing right. Legend is: D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG Reverse: Victory advancing left holding wreath. Legend is: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE (Security of the Republic)
Last one. ValentinianII AD375-392 Obverse: Diademed, Draped bust facing right. Legend is: D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG Reverse: Victory with trophy dragging captive to the left. Legend is: SALVS REIPVBLICAE (For the Health of the Repbulic)
Some realy impressive Roman coins you have got there :high5: Great list of sellers from Ardatirion but a couple have very high shipping costs if you live outside the USA and a great write up from Dru :high5: If you want a few cheap but very good books then look up Shire books http://www.shirebooks.co.uk/home.aspx They do 5 good ones on Roman, Celtic and Anglo saxon coins also many others on Archeology :high5:
Thanks De Orc, I was very please with the seller (coastaledge). All the coins came in flips with all the info above on the inserts and some info on the ruler, in a plastic double 2x2 box, plus a few bonus coins. Based on all that, the history of these coins is incredible!
That is a remarkable hoard, Drusus. Perhaps we know each by another name on another forum, but I have a great many coins I bought at the old VAuctions (when still run by Tom Mullally) and they are similar in quite distinctive ways: surface texture, types of issues, coloration, evidence of restoration methods (or lack thereof). If these went to private market I wouldn't be surprised if some ended up in my collection...
