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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;kaparthy, post: 1819730, member: 57463&quot;]I agree that the Wayne Sayles books are the best for a beginner who wants to understand the field.&nbsp; Sayles is a blue collar kind of guy himself, not your Oxbridge Museum Numismatist.&nbsp; He was an enlisted man in the USAF; and he was stationed in Turkey and got interested in ancient coins.&nbsp; He completed college degrees and retired as an officer; his last degree was perhaps an MA in history or an MFA in art history. (I think he finished that after he retired.)&nbsp; &nbsp; He started <i>The Celator</i> magazine about 1990 and edited it for about ten years.&nbsp;&nbsp; He also resigned from the ANA over politics.&nbsp; Sayles has the heart of a hobbyist.</p><p><br /></p><p>I disagree on the value of the standard catalogues. I relied on them when I started, but if you want something else, then let me recommend <b><i>Roman Coins</i> by Harold Mattingly</b>.&nbsp; It tells the numismatic history.&nbsp; David Vagi&#039;s two-volume history of Roman coins is a cross between a catalog and a narrative.</p><p><br /></p><p>In addition to buying the Sayles books, you should investigate your local libraries. </p><p><br /></p><p>When I started, I had the Michigan State University Library at my disposal.&nbsp; They had the British Museum Catalogs, the magazines, etc., and tall stacks of books on numismatics, especially ancients.&nbsp; Anyone can <b>use</b> a library.</p><p><br /></p><p>To get a card, I paid a community fee.&nbsp; It was $30 back then, but is more now, but is still cheaper than the U of M community card.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here in Texas, to get a UT card, I first had to have a city library card for six months, then get a State Library Card. Then, I got the UT card. (Free.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Also <b>your local city library may well be able to get almost any book </b>for you via Inter Library Loan. &quot;I-L-L&quot; they call it.&nbsp; (Some libraries charge you for the ILL fees like shipping. But it is still inexpensive.)</p><p><br /></p><p>It depends on what consortiums they pay to join. When I was teaching at Lansing Community College, they did not have a way to get MSU books for me, but got one via the University of Cincinnati - go figure...</p><p><br /></p><p>Moreover, if you join the ANA for $46 per year, you can borrow books from their library for the cost of shipping and insurance both ways.&nbsp; You also get online access to the magazine and back issues. Other benefits come along also.&nbsp; It just depends on your actual interest in numismatics.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The bottom line is to start with your local library and see about getting the books by Wayne Sayles, Harold Mattingly, and David Vagi.&nbsp; </b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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