Ancient Guys Taking Over The World?

Hehe

 

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yah, if only I could type faster!!

Hey, what are you giggling about? => you're just as bad as me!!

 

What..??? Who??? As Bad???? Aw c'mon. Now you're gettin' nasty.

 

"Coins are history you can hold in your hand." At least that was a famous motto from an early National Coin Week. The thing is, with US no one really cares about the history. Oh, sure, we nod to World War II and the Revolution... but do you care who was Secretary of State when an 1837 Half Dollar was struck? No: "50 Cents" versus "Half Dol." is the big difference -- and the only difference. With ancients, the coins are all about history.

And more...

When I started collecting, I went in for Barber and Mercury dimes, but I knew that they were modeled on ancients, just as Washington DC was squeezed from a tube of Neo-Classical architecture. Then two things happened...

First, walking the floor at a coin convention, I realized that ancients cost no more than moderns, coin for coin, value for value. Then, one afternoon, I caught a re-run of Carl Sagan's Cosmos and the episode was "Backbone of the Night" about the Greeks. I began a collection of small Greek silvers, worth about a day's wages, from the towns and times of philosophers. You can't do that with US coins. You cannot get a Chicago 1940 for Enrico Fermi's first atomic pile, or a New Haven 1839 for the birth of Josiah Willard Gibbs. (At least not in coins... hmmmm... maybe paper....)

 

I came to the forum mainly because no one else I know has any interested in collecting coins and because I tend to do a lot of reading about a topic before I am ready to actually purchase anything. It takes a lot of hemming and hawing before I actually purchase something most days (and then other days I hit bid so willy nilly I end up with a bunch of coins I 'want' but don't want.) I wouldn't have learned as much in such a short time if it wasn't for forums.

Also it is nice to see people who are serious but still joke around and enjoy the fun part of a hobby. Hobbies are meant to be fun and relaxing not excessively stressful to add onto other stressors. Some people don't understand that!

 

Yes, they are taking over the world. I can go for weeks without seeing anything Canadian, except "Post your ....."

 

Alexander and Julius always wanted to take over the world (including Canada?)

 

Not in colonials, and yes, they count.

 

Here's mine!

 

To reply directly to the topic title: Yes, we are. Join us now or be forcefully assimilated.

 

Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is Futile.

 

Futile .... ummm, but we do have cookies

 

Oh yeah man! If cookies are involved I'm in.

Bruce

 

I'll bring the bosporeos

 

My sentiments echo those of the OP... I don't collect ancient coins, but it is nice to know I have somewhere to come should anything fall into my hands.

I'll just slip back to lurk mode now....

 

If you want to see what US coins could have been had it been politically correct for those in power to issue coins related to current events or family history just look at the Hard Times tokens. Imagine today what coins might have been issued by either side in the continuing US Congressional fiasco if we ran by the rules of the Roman Republic. Nero issued a coin announcing peace by closing the doors of the temple of Janus. Where is the US Berlin Wall regular issue? Medals and NCLT don't count because 99% of the public never see them. There are hundreds that would make interesting but tasteless types but we have dead Presidents. Perhaps we don't need propoganda coins because we have postage stamps?

 

We don't need propaganda coins because we have mass media.

 

I have to admit the boards here have become more fun lately, and I come now more often and like to participate more than I used to
Most probably Steve is part of the fun, but others count too

Q

 

... and I'll bring the malk (look it up kids).

 

Why the angry face, Cucumbor?

Go "ancient team", go!!

=> spread the word, brother (ancient coins rock!!)