Looking for some help.......

Kentucky · May 19, 2020

Nvb said: ↑

What you want is a Tetradrachm. They range in size from that of a quarter up to a silver dollar. This denomination will always command a premium, but with some careful shopping good deals can be had.

The next size down is in ancient silver is called a Stater/ Didrachm/ Nomos but more often than not these are closer to a nickel in size.

If it were me I'd go for:

Roman - A provincial Tetradrachm of Nero.
Greek - A Tetradrachm of Alexander the Great.

Those are 2 of the most well known names in ancient history, and a decent tetradrachm of either can be had in the $150 range if F-VF or the odd blemish isnt an issue..

It's likely the same with modern coins but the best deals are usually (but not always) found in auctions.
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Alexander Tets are AWESOME

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Bambam8778 · May 21, 2020

Kentucky said: ↑

You've been on for 4 years and almost 3,000 posts, do you think you are a "newer" member?
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No, not at all. If you read the whole post I said I was an advocate for the newer people, some who get treated poorly here. I'm not new at all.

Kentucky said: ↑

Perhaps it was because you referred to him as a "buyer" and expressed a desire to turn a profit. If you had said he was a friend and lost your profit motive, I think you would have found more help.
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You may be right. I do think though that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about getting the answers that you need if you suspect something is aloof. Just me.

Bambam8778 · May 21, 2020

Herodotus said: ↑

I've only started collecting ancient coins a few months ago, but I've absorbed a lot of knowledge in that time.

Having lurked on this board for that short time, and having newly joined as a member for about a month, I've found the members on Coin Talk Ancients to be very helpful to so-called 'newbies'. Yet, I've also noticed a justifiable reluctance to offer 'free help' to someone looking to only receive it w/out reciprocating, or at the least, w/out displaying an intention to contribute.

As for Doug.. I've seen him as one to not mince words and perhaps be a tad blunt in his delivery at times, however, I also recognize him as a someone who has "been there, done that before". I respect his being forthright with his opinions as a longtime collector with a myriad of knowledge.

Enough of that..

Is your friend looking for any ancient coin as long as it's old, or a coin that has an interesting story/recognizable historical connection behind it?

I had never even heard of Gordian III, until I started collecting coins. It wasn't until I saw how common his coins were that he actually registered on my radar. It could be stated that he is the 'Plain Jane' of Imperial Roman silver(ish) coinage -- as already alluded to in this thread.

Your friend wants one coin. Why not get him something cool, like an Alexander the Great tetradrachm, or perhaps a coin the features a portrait of Athena? Then he'll have a story that he can tell about his necklace(as a personal item/gift?).

Most people have heard of Alexander the Great or the goddess Athena. My guess is that only Imperial Roman history buffs and ancient coin enthusiasts have heard of Gordian III or Philip I/II or Decius etc etc etc...

Is $150 the ceiling?

If I were to purchase only one coin(and money wasn't a strong concern), I would want to get one that's in a style/type that I really liked and in a condition that showcases the details of the coin.

I'd show your friend what $100-$150 gets him, and what $200-400 gets him.

If the Gordian fits the bill.. So be it.
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I'm sure he would like the story as well! $150 isn't the ceiling, it's just the number he threw out. I'm sure he'd take whatever it was, especially if there were some talking points behind it. Thanks for the info!

Kentucky · May 21, 2020

Bambam8778 said: ↑

No, not at all. If you read the whole post I said I was an advocate for the newer people, some who get treated poorly here. I'm not new at all.

You may be right. I do think though that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about getting the answers that you need if you suspect something is aloof. Just me.
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Not actually meaning to be critical.

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