Your First Ancient Coin

Wow, These are AWESOME!

 

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I cannot recall much about the first ancient coin I bought other than it was a late roman with no patina. I cannot even recall the emperor. I remember being shocked at how small the coin was. I must have sold it or more likely, given it away, because I do not have anything which resembles that coin now in my collection. After buying that coin I believe I jumped straight into uncleaned greek and roman coins.

Peter

 

We've had this thread a couple of times, but I'll gladly show my first coin again and I'm still collecting the series 36 years later:

 

First medieval:

French Feudal, Poitou
Richard I, r. 1168-1185
AR Denier, 17mm x 1 grams
Obv.: +RICARDUS REX, cross patée, annulet in third quarter
Rev.: PIC / TAVIE / NSIS, written in three parallel lines
Ref.: AGC 343A (1/a), Duplessy 926, Roberts 3887, SCBC 8008, De Wit 394

First ancient:

Imperial Rome
Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D. (211 A.D.)
Rome Mint, AR Denarius, 20.28mm x 2.8 grams
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT. Laureate bust, right
Rev.: P M TR P XIIII COS III P P. Pax, draped, advancing left, holding branch in right hand and sceptre in left hand
Ref.: RIC IV-1 Caracalla 184, p. 238.

 

Ebay (I don't suggest it for your first at all) Arcadius.

 

First ancient was a Philip I:

 

Nice firsts, everyone! My first ancient was a denarius of Septimius Severus, MARS PATER reverse, Summer of 1987:



I bought this from a local dealer 30 years ago, and he is still in business. In fact this past week, I bought another ancient from him, an antoninianus of Postumus with a Hercules Pacifero reverse:

 

I have shown it before, but here is my first coin.

 

I am sure this was my first "ancient". I was about 11 years old at the time...

 

My first coin was this Theodosius, a gift from my Aunt when I was 14ish.



Took me years to figure out it was real and what it was, then I was hooked.

John