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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 7594205, member: 19463&quot;]The problem with non-classical cultures is that there are so many of them.&nbsp; Some were major players in their day while others are known from little more than their coins.&nbsp; For the purposes of this thread, we can ignore the existence of cultures that had no coins.&nbsp; There is a problem with $100, too.&nbsp; It once was a lot of money.&nbsp; Today it seems to be shrinking. </p><p><br /></p><p>There are two ways of buying coins.&nbsp; You can go out and chase down exactly the coin you want planning to pay a premium because there are so many other people chasing that same thing .....or..... You can look to see what prey is in the area and pick a lame one that will be easier to run down.&nbsp; This last method will get more for the $100 especially if you find a seller who just happens to have a bunch of that sort of thing and all his regular customers have one.</p><p><br /></p><p>There is also some benefit in collecting things that are less popular because they lack easy to read inscriptions that tell you what they are.&nbsp; People who are frightened by Greek tend to be petrified by Nagari and may not even realize that some of those squiggles on a coin actually was a legend.</p><p><br /></p><p>Most of my favorite NCC coins have already been shown by those who react to Coin Talk in a more timely manner than I.&nbsp; What you get for $100 varies so much by place, timing and opportunity that we can hardly guess what you will have to pay.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sasanian drachm of Peroz - possibly the best buy in solid hunk of silver but there are a thousand other Sasanians out there ready for you.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1307978[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>My first jitals of the Bull and Horseman series cost $5 each from a huge bag at a Baltimore show 20 years ago.&nbsp; The ones I bought since then have been a lot more but I have never considered paying anything approaching $100 for one.&nbsp; This Samanta Deva was $7 but the seller had no idea who the Shahi kings were or whay anyone would want their coins.&nbsp; For $100, you should get spectacular!&nbsp; You also should spend a bit on Robert Tye&#039;s book<b> Jitals</b>.&nbsp; For $100 you might get the book and a coin.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1307981[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>There are a thousand varieties of Kushan coins that I would never consider buying for $100 so you might get one a lot nicer than my Kanishka with Helios.&nbsp; On the other hand, you will find sellers who will try to move a slick, legendless slug telling you that is the way they come.&nbsp;&nbsp; Do you chase this one or wait until it finds you?&nbsp; I paid $30 but would not sell it for $100.&nbsp; Who knows what you can buy today?</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1307982[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Parthians are great; great Parthians are not always cheap. I never pass up an opportunity to show this Mithradates II.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1307986[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>I like these Hephthalite drachms that come in patinated bronze and billon usually attributed to Napki Malek.&nbsp; Finding coins with clear reverses may take some looking and a lot of your $100.&nbsp; There is one on eBay now for $580 but that is from a seller with dreams of grandeur.&nbsp; What I don&#039;t know about these would fill a giant library.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1307987[/ATTACH]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1307989[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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