Suggestions for new collector?

Hey guys I was hoping to get some suggestions for a first time ancient collector. I know that for the most part a dealer is the best way to go, but are online auctions completely off limits? Do a lot of fakes come up in auctions? Last, I know I wouldn't come across anything amazing, but are uncleaned lots bad for starters?

 

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Welcome to ancients, @Exodus_gear!

Online auctions are a great place to pick up ancients, although I'd steer clear of eBay until you get a little experience.

Uncleaned lots are mostly very low quality and "uncleaned" isn't really correct. They've been cleaned of loose soil and picked through many times before being sold in groups, generally speaking. Some people enjoy cleaning coins but most of us who tried it lost patience pretty quickly after realizing you could have bought a nice cleaned coin or two for the price of a small lot of slugs. That said, it can be a fun way to get your feet wet.

Fakes can be found everywhere but much less so in the better-known auction houses. A good place to browse upcoming auction is via Numisbids or Sixbid. Those are auction aggregators. Most auctions are listed on both sites but there are a few auction houses who are only visible on one or the other. You can even submit bids through those aggregators, although I've had trouble with that in the past and prefer to bid directly.

Vcoins is another great place to find coins. It's a conglomeration of individual dealers, each with their own virtual store.

If you are considering a particular coin but need some input, feel free to PM me or another "regular" on the board. It's best not to publicly post coins which are coming up for auction in case other people are targeting that coin.

 

What she said,,, (@TIF)

 

Some random thoughts about collecting ancients:

1. The breadth and diversity of ancients can be bewildering and overwhelming. Don't let this bog you down. Keep looking through Numisbids and Sixbid auctions, read the coins' descriptions, and take a break whenever you feel overwhelmed.

2. Take a few days or weeks to browse through older threads on this site in particular. In my experience, this site is the best resource for novice collectors but has the depth to keep experienced collectors interested as well. Don't hesitate to ask any questions on this site.

3. Don't succumb to the urge to purchase just any old ancient (irony intended!), unless it really "speaks" to you. If you find one that's appealing, spend some time on VCoins and the auction websites to learn more about that particular coin. After accumulating some additional knowledge, you'll feel more comfortable making a purchase decision.

4. My personal belief is that if you buy the best quality you can afford, you'll rarely if ever regret the purchase, even if you're worried that you spent too much. Conversely, if you buy a coin whose condition isn't what you really wanted, you're likely to regret it.

5. Discard the notion that you'll ever assemble a "complete set" of anything in the ancient arena. Focus on what appeals to you.

6. Reread TIF's response (above) every day.

 

Although I do not collect ancients, I have received some catalogs from Pegasi that are very informative with a lot of nice photos. You might want to get on their mailing list and take a look see.

 

Hi @Exodus_gear welcome to the Dark Side.

A lot will depend on your budget.

As far as cleaning coins goes, it can be a lot of fun, it can also be very educational, especially with the later bronzes. It might be something that you need to get out of your system. Look for lots that have a lot of detail. Be prepared that 90 per cent will be culls. If you want to try, post here for advice. Once you buy a "nice" coin, you will find that cleaning coins will lose its appeal.

Do what TIF says.

Take your time. Look on Vcoins for a coin that is within your budget. Try and find a nice clean coin that is well centered and has a full legend.

Don't worry about finding a focus. The focus will find you.

Idesofmarch has given you some good advice.

 

The above approaches are very acceptable, but I'll give an alternative. To "jump in" can be extreme for many people, I did start with uncleaned lots however the ones I purchased years ago simply don't exist anymore but it was very educational. Instead purchasing books may be an alternative to handling thousands of coins. That and it will give a thorough listing of available types. I only knew truly what to buy after acquiring a library on ancient coins. The internet is great for finding examples, but you may need to know what you are looking for. I would suggest finding a civilization or time period you are interested in and start doing some research. Like most of us on a budget, it can be frustrating to make a purchase only to find there are other types out there you would have rather bought. Here is one listing http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/book.html
Hope Doug doesn't mind . Anyone here can recommend books as well, there are so many.

 

I think a good way to get started with ancients is first finding a reputable dealer you can trust. Then buy something that looks interesting or speaks to you. Don't make this a big purchase. And go from there. Learn more about the coin or the period. Figure out what about the coin made you like it.

 

If you are tempted to buy Greek coins, IMO among the most artistic, beautiful in the coin world, you really do need to find a copy of "Greek Coins and how to Identify Them" by Richard Plant. When starting out, it is very difficult to identify them because you first need to know where they are from

 

Thank you for all the recommendations. I started looking into different periods already, as suggested to see which era/civilization catches my eye the most, though its going to definitely take more research.

I really appreciate the coin sites, gives me a slightly better understanding of what kind of conditions I should be looking at, instead of some of the price bloated coins on eBay. A lot of the "big/uncleaned" lots looked kind of bleh in a detail comparison. I will just have to keep an eye out, in case something worth while pops up.

I'll probably start, as suggested with a proper buy, then hope for a small lot once I know what I am doing. Find the tediousness of cleaning a coin on par with model painting, which is too much fun for me lol. Again, thanks for all the info and I will be sure to put some floaties on before hopping into the pool.

 

Nailed it.

 

Keep in mind that Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece weren't the only civilizations that produced coins. You may find that collecting from lesser-collected civilizations (China, India, Western/Central Asia, etc.) is much more rewarding. Many of these issues don't have much information on them, and doing original research can be fascinating. And, best of all, these coins can usually be had for relatively cheap. Ancient Greek coins are renowned for their beauty, but you are paying for them most of the time, and they are usually easy to obtain.

This is the exciting world of Chinese numismatics. The most expensive coin in this picture was $250. Most were less than $10 each, and almost all were less than $50 each.

 

A great book for introducing people to ancient coin collecting is


http://wgs.cc/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=74_75&product_id=143

Available in paperback and hardback. There are other books in the series, going into more detail on various collecting areas such as Greek coins, Roman, Provincial, etc.

 

Just to add, if you buy it from TIFs link the author will sign it for you.

 

The only thing I can add to the excellent advice above is about selecting a theme. For me it was a no-brainer - I'm interested in Roman and English history so i need a coin with the portrait of the men and women who ruled Rome and England. I occasionally add a famous face outside the series - like Louis XVI or Cleopatra.

The Roman portrait series does get expensive once you have all the more common rulers. Most of the rulers I have left can only be bought in the $1000+ range. Still, I believe I will be able to acquire most of them eventually. Of course i will never own a coin if there's only a handful in existence - so that rules out Silbannicus, Saturninus, Olybrius etc, but i can live with that.

The English series, starting from 1066 (Battle of Hastings seems a good place to start), is easier, more affordable and much shorter. The most expensive thing you'll need to buy in that series will be an Oliver Cromwell portrait for a few thousand.

So maybe start with what fascinates you? Do you have a favourite emperor or empire?

 

Ye Gods, have you seen the prices for a William the Conqueror???? I wanted to get one of these because husband's ancestor came over with William. No chance.

 

Isn't it William the Conqueror that everyone is related to...

 

Don't know about that. Ancestor accompanied William when he came over. There is a tenuous marriage to a relation of William. We did find husband's 20 x gramps effigy in Grappenhall Church which was rather a nice find.

Anyone got a William coin they don't want, PM me with a payment plan

 

Oh yeah, he's pricy too. I don't have him yet, but the last one I saw was on sale for a few thousand dollars.

 

Oh, yeah, I was thinking of Charlemagne.