I have been buying books instead of coins, it seems a recommended and logical course of action. I have found several good reads on American coins but with the staggering amount of material out there I am a bit confused about buying a reference on Ancient coins. Does anyone know of a simple and well laid out reference book on ancient coins which would be appropriate for a beginner? Keep in mind that I am an extremely novice collector but those ancients look so tantalizing...
Oh I see your problem alright - have had the same problem myself. But there is only one way to resolve it - you just have to make up your mind what appeals to you the most. Personally I have always let the design of the coins solve that problem for me. I might suggest that you spend some time browsing this site - Wildwinds When you find a series of coins that you seem to like more than the others after looking at the pictures - your problem will be solved. Then somebody can recommend an appropriate book.
1. Good choice, books instead of coins. I have a recent story about that, but later. 2. I recommend Wayne Sayles's multi-volume Ancient Coin Collecting, published by Krause and available from both Krause and Sayles. Vol. 1 is an introductory overview. Sayles: http://www.vcoins.com/sayles/store/listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=23 (Start from www.celator.com and choose Wayne Sayles, then select books. You will go from the Celator, to Wayne Sayles, to VCoins.) Krause: http://www.collect.com/product.asp?catalog_name=Krause&category_name=&product_id=ACS2 (from Krause, to coins, to books, tp Sayles) The other major resource for ancients is not a book, but a magazine, The Celator. Read my review here: http://www.coin-newbies.com/articles/celator.html 3. Also, rather than buy books, have you been to your library? In addition to what is on the shelf (often thin, sorry to say) they can "I.L.L." books for you, get them on Inter-Library Loan. If I have to renew a library book a few times (not usually possible with ILLs), I buy it, but then, I know what I am buying.
Thanks mmarotta, I looked up the Sayles book and it looked like a keeper so I ordered it. I hope it helps because it looks like he has a whole series of them. And they are pretty reasonably priced which suits my inexperience well.
There is a series of books whose author is David R. Sear.These can be bought from a dealer in England or from www.amazon.co.uk . Aidan.
