Anyone collect the Roman gold Aureus?

@Gam3rBlake I'll give you my advice for what it's worth. Buy what keeps you interested. If you like gold buy gold, if you like bronze buy bronze. One empties your pockets faster than the other which may alter your collecting direction after a while, or it may not.

I buy a coin, then I research all about the emperor, plenty of entertainment.

Everyone here is very helpful and has a lot to offer, and when you need help identifying something specific or more detailed info they will be the first to offer.

 

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Well yeah that is why I’m studying Classical history. I find it fascinating and interesting .

I also love Ancient Greek coinage too.

But honestly I’m the kind of guy who prefers buying 1-2 really nice coins per year rather than dozens of coins that I don’t really care much about.

Like I’m sure I could buy a couple dozen MS graded Washington Quarters from the 40s, 50s and 60s for less than the cost of 1 Roman aureus in low grade.

But I wouldn’t really care very much about any of them. I certainly wouldn’t look at them several times a week like I would with an Aureus.

My last purchase was in January when I bought a 1799 Draped Bust Dollar (F12 NGC).

I wouldn’t mind buying 1 aureus per year.

Having to wait and save up for a long time makes me cherish my coins even more.

 

One day I will sell my guitar equipment and can afford 10 of these...lol

 

Dang you have $100,000 of guitar equipment!?

 

That would be crazy. If I sold my entire comprehensive collection of antique clarinets I might get 2 aurei out of it

 

If I sold my stocks and all my bullion and coins I would get about 5 aureii. xD

None of them would be in MS or AU or even XF condition though.

It also depends on which aureus you buy.

ONE aureus from the time of Marcus Junius Brutus (assassin of Julius Caesar) sold for over a million dollars.

 

Actually 3.25 M./UK Pounds

 

Here are some of my aurei, pretty, but I still prefer large bronze...

 

That's not the same one though.

The one I'm talking about had two daggers on the reverse.

 

Oh wow! Those are beautiful!

It's fun to imagine who may have held those aureii before yourself.

Perhaps a member of the Praetorian Guard? Maybe a Senator? Or maybe even the Emperor himself!

I can totally see Claudius tossing an aureus to a servant and saying "another bottle of wine!" (good wine).

 

This is the NFA ex. / Roma XX had one realize 3.25

 

Yup that's it!!

Oh hmm maybe I misunderstood you.

Yeah that's crazy!

I also read that an aureus with the Colosseum on the back sold for a huge amount as well.

I believe it was Domitian?

 

Correction: It was Alexander Severus (reigned 222 AD -235 AD). I just looked. xD

 

The Saturninus Aureus from NFA (unique) would sell for more/ Alexander of Carthage/ Ahenobarbus/ Gordian II
so many rare aurei.

 

Yeah for sure. I know I'll never even complete 10% of a collection of every aureus.

But I would like to own a few from Emperors I find particularly interesting.

 

As far as I know not a single genuine Aureus of Gordian II has survived (if there ever were any).

Me, too! I spent a little fortune on Sestertii, but no more than 140 Euros for my single gold coin, which I think is the best value for money I invested in this hobby so far:


IIII-IT — IIIIII - laureate and cuirassed bust of Diocletian or Maximian left.
II — IISIII (the S reversed) - helmeted Roma seated left on throne with X beneath seat, holding Victory on extended right hand and resting on sceptre held in left.
Aureus (gold plated over base metal core), irregular mint in western Ukraine, Chernyakhov culture, ca. 300-310 aD
19,83 mm / 2,56 gr. / pierced in antiquity
Oleg Anohin "Counterfeiting among barbarian tribes in the territory of modern Ukraine and Moldova. Catalog of barbaric imitations" (2015), Nr.87 (this coin illustrated); found in the Ternopil region, Ukraine, ex Savoca Numismatik 17th Blue auction (01.03.2019), lot 1894

 

The cost for a complete Roman aurei collection/ 4500+ examples known to exist would be in the BILLIONS of euros, ir ever avaliable.

 

Worn aurei of Nero can be cheap enough.

I got this Indian contemporary imitation in a CNG eAuction in 2010 for less than $300.



CNG sold quite a few of them at that time - I should have got more!

ATB,
Aidan.

 

That's a bit exaggerated, maybe. Billions, meaning two billions or more, for 4'500 coins would mean 444'444 EUR or more per coin. I am sure you can get 99% of them cheaper

I'd say 100 millions would be enough to buy a decent coin of every aureus type available on the market, given your number of 4500+ is correct.

 

Great coins, a truly impressive group! I never really appreciated the artistry of this Victory aureus of Augustus, just miles and miles better than the similar types in silver.

Phil Davis