Ancient Collectors! What do you collect? (Quick poll)

Hello collectors of ancients! I have a quick poll for you: What area of ancient coinage do you primarily collect? I'm interested to see the broadest outlines of people's collecting habits. Sorry about forcing you into only one choice! (Feel free to protest in the comments!) Thank you all very much for voting.

 

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I rather enjoy the geometric designs of some of the Indian coinage.

 

I collect coins in three of your categories:

1. Roman Imperial
2. Greek Imperial (Provincial)
3. Byzantine/Romaion

My earliest coin is Marc Antony. My latest coin is Manuel Comnenus.

 

Yes.

I collect all of them. I have sub-specialties in each of the areas you list, like Cleo VII, Commodus lionskin and 4th century "art deco" pieces, Emessa Stone pieces, coins of Constantine VII, and Hunnic coins.

I am probably "weakest" in classical Greek coins, finding them overcollected and somewhat confusing. I am probably strongest in Central Asian coinage, but seem to have "spot interest" in many different areas. The sub collections I listed are about 5 of 25 I have.

Then I have other interests like pre-western coinages of Thailand. I started this collection due to my wife being Thai, and wanting to educate my children on their Thai heritage. I have most types, from Funan to pod duang. All pieces I am missing now are almost never sold and are well into 4 figures each if you can find an authentic piece.

 

I collect a little bit of everything and whatever strikes my eye. I do "try" to focus on Sicilian coins and putting together a set of Trajans by denomination (2020 goal).

 

I figured I would answer based on which I would hold on to the longest if I needed to liquidate for some quick cash.

1. Indo Sassanian
2. Roman Imperial
3. Classical Greek
4. All the rest (India, Parthian, Sassanian, Central Asian, Hunnic, Islamic, Chinese)

 

I collect Roman provincials and Roman Republic/Empire about equally. I wish your poll allowed more than one choice.

 

I collect mainly Greek and Roman Imperial. Thinking to get some Roman Provincial.

 

My collecting is focused around 3 areas.
1. Coins of the Plantagenet dynasty, including their Anglo-Gallic and Irish coinages.
2. Coins of Seleukos I Nikator. My goal was to add a tetradrachm from each of the identified mints to my collection. I'm 4 short, and probably will be for years to come. I blame it on kids.
3. Whatever catches my eye. Lately it has been fuedal French coins, but for a time was the coinage of Probus.

 

Since I have such a comparatively small collection, it's easy for me to know the exact numbers of various kinds of coins I have, even though I theoretically "collect" coins in each of your first three categories. Out of a total of 158 ancient coins I currently own, 8 would count as "Greek," 27 are Roman Republican, 4 are Roman Provincial, 119 are Roman Imperial, and one could be classified as both Roman Provincial and Roman Imperial (the Augustus-Agrippa/crocodile "COL NEM" coin, which is listed in both RPC and RIC, as well as Sear, etc.). Plus one of the "Greek" coins was issued by a city in Lydia that had been bequeathed to the Roman Republic 8 years previously, together with the rest of the former Pergamene territories, so what does that count as -- Roman Republican Provincial?

Plus I still have hundreds of British coins, and British and French historical medals, even though I no longer actively collect them and they're not ancient.

 

Almost exclusively Greek and Roman Republic with a smattering of Roman Imperial and Provincial.

 

Primarily Roman Republican early silver coins (c. pre 130 BC). More recently I have expanded my RR interests to 1st century roman republican silver, and Roman Imperial from the emergence of Diocletian (284 ACE) up to the sole reign of Constantine (313 ACE). I love it all though and have a few Greek coins as well.

 

Hi All,

I collect the coins of Egypt from Achaemenid to present day. My primary love is Ptolemaics, so I answered the poll with "Greek (Archaic through Hellenistic)".

 

...all of them...plus more....right now concentrating on Roman Republic and Empire 3rd century mostly...

 

Well, my initial reaction was to put Roman republic/imperial of the options given. I primarily collect medieval Europe, but the question asked for ancient coins. After seeing Islamic coins included in the ‘non-classical’ option, I decided that was my category since Islamic coins are squarely in the medieval period...

 

Probly 90% of my collection is BCE, including Roman Republic, Italia, China, Carthage Empire, Makedon, Diadochi, Etruria, India, and various other Non-Greek, Non-Roman areas. I could not participate in the poll as it is much too limited.

And my world Gold collection is larger than my Ancients collection. I just don’t photo them for some reason.

I also like Egyptian Royal Scarabae, as Egypt did not mint coins until very late in their History. The Royal Scarabae are great placemarkers of their History.

 

Too bad the poll did not allow multiple selections. My guess is that many ancient collectors do not limit themselves to just one of those options. My honest selection would be "All The Above".

 

Roman republic and imperial. 87 coins in total, and counting, in case you're interested

 

For me, in order, Greek, Roman Republic and Empire, Roman Provincial (primarily Alexandria). Things that drive my interest are themes, like dolphins and mythology; and places I have actually been to, like Athens, Alexandria and the Cyclades (a tough one!). I spent a few nights inside Diocletian's palace at Split, Croatia, so I focus a little on him, though his coinage isn't really all that interesting.

 

to you...others might disagree.