Found these 3 bronze coins in small thrift shop

I'm in the camp that says you didn't do too badly - all identifiable, not the best deal. You easily could have paid more for:
- anything comparable that is currently listed on vcoins (only a handful of coins <$10)
- a dozen uncleaned coins and gotten nothing but ancient bronze disks
- dozens of $29 a coin offers on EBay

While buying a larger lot or a bit more shopping you might get better prices, I certainly wouldn't think you were all that far off mark (worth noting that you didn't pay for shipping either). Certainly don't let a modest over-payment keep you from enjoying the coins.

 

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Thanks, I look forward to learing as much as I can.

 

I did save $20 on that one..lol. yeah I def got to learn my prices.

 

An eBay tool that I like to use is their Show Only 'Sold/Completed' listings option on their search sidebar. I prefer to also include Item Location 'North America', due to my interest in only looking at listings history from this region. Often, international offerings are also displayed further down the page.

A search of "Constantine Campgate" brings up these recent ended listings:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...=0&LH_Sold=1&LH_Complete=1&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=3

As @hotwheelsearl has noted... The Arcadius VIRTVS EXERCITI is an OK find.

Here's an example (in much better condition than yours) that sold at a recent ROMA auction:
https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotv...&Lot=899&Val=67acfa63cfbd0006698238d45d8d937f

 

I like the search features on ebay, i just seen over 3,000 coins listed for Roman, silver, 59 bc-518 ad, ...also seen this on ebay search...now I got to figure out which apply...more homework for me..lol

 

A solidus is a gold coin. Generally out of budget for beginning collectors.

antoninianus is a silver and/or bronze coin. These are very common and is one of the easiest ways to get into collecting. Some of the cheapest silver Ants are of Gordian III; bronze Ants of Gallienus are plentiful and affordable

 

I don't know ancients well at all but you castle is a camp gate. I would have bought them at that price myself.

 

Oh, No, and I never pasted the link! If you click on 'all editions and formats,' they (finally) show you one copy, probably ex-library, for $8.50 or like that.
https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Coins-...nd+their+values&qid=1603421758&s=books&sr=1-4

 

The primary advice that I would offer considering eBay is to focus on auctions only. Most of the 'Buy it Now' offerings are at retail or overpriced IMHO. Often, one can find similar coins from other online venues at better (retail) prices.

In addition, there are a lot of fakes on eBay. I would advise to avoid sellers that do not regularly offer ancient coins(at least until one is more experienced in being able to better recognize fakes). When being unfamiliar with a seller, I find it necessary to start out with the presumption that all of their coins are fakes, and then rule them out as being genuine based on a set of criteria that I employ.

One, however, cannot eliminate all risk. What is often stated here on this board, rings as truth: "Know the coin or know the seller".

I generally only look at sellers that openly offer returns, but one nice thing about eBay is theirs(and PayPal's) seller protection program. When first starting out, I had to return a couple of coins that were offered as genuine that I realized were fakes upon receiving them. It didn't matter whether the seller offered returns or not. After opening a case, eBay/PayPal took my side and gave me full refunds for the seller misrepresenting their items.

The reality is that there are a lot of genuine 'budget' coins for offer @ auction on eBay. Many start @99 cents, and bidders set the final price. There are some decent and honest regular sellers on eBay auctioning coins for budget-minded types that are looking for coins in the Good to Very Fine range.

I've personally acquired quite a few cool coins off of eBay, and some for what I consider to be 'good deals'.

 

I would be very wary of using ebay for ancients until you're good at spotting fakes. I think it's also a bad starting place for learning the market because it's filled with overpriced BINs targeting inexperienced collectors. There are of course good deals to be had, but they are far outnumbered by fakes and predatory listings.

Instead I would recommend several sites:

First this series of threads here on cointalk is very illuminating: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/what-your-budget-buys-index-thread.303991/

Second: get to know ma-shops and vcoins. These are often overpriced but will give you a good sense of retail buy-it-now options. You won't often find great deals, but they make up for it in convenience and safety-- both sites make their vendors guarantee authenticity.

Third, and most importantly: the auction archives on sixbid, coinarchives, cng and heritage are all very good. These are mainly for slightly higher end coins (that is anything that would be in an auction) but there will still be thousands of results for <$100 coins. Just remember that except for heritage these prices don't include the buyers fee so add ~20% to the hammer. This will probably give you the most accurate sense of market prices, IMO.

 

It would appear that you and I share similar opinions/concerns related to eBay (as shown in the message that I just posted right above yours).

 

Problem is that these people pointing you to eBay won't share the sellers they buy from. Its the wild west there.. fakes everywhere. Still bothers me that they won't help new collectors.... I go through the same thing.

Instead go to:
https://bargainbinancients.com

For now until you get more comfortable. Mr. Bucklan is a fair person that sells authentic coins at a reasonable price. And only $3.50 shipping.

 

That's a terrific website, @Clavdivs; I sure never heard of it before. Highly recommended, @Everett Guy.

 

On eBay, I tend to buy from Holding History and Ancient Treasures. I’ve gotten a single (bad) fake of Licinius from AT, but it was in a batch of 100 low grade junkers anyways.

 

I have got 3 coins from AT's. All nice and authentic, silver and I think I paid right anout $117 for the 3. They were auction. Which is a great deal I feel for 3 silver coins and others in same condition else where were going $70+ each. The one place I got great deals on ebay is the $29-39 deals but they pick the coin from their lot. I would buy 100 if I could pick them. But I do see ones from the Ukraine or france or Germany that look to fake only because new silver or fake looking silver tone looks like what they are...too "perefect" for under $50 for sure. But I definitely use paypal for payment and thats peace of mind for if I do get confirmed fake I can dispute transaction.

 

I started out in collecting with a $30 Gordian III antoninianus in 1980. I bought it from a coin store in Hawaii where the proprietor kept a tray of ancients. Second one was an AE3 of Constantius II with the two soldiers standing on the reverse. That one was in good condition and sold for $12. Yeah, you might have been able to get a better deal than $10 a piece but it's not really important in the scheme of things. Much more important is the fact that you are starting out in this fascinating hobby where if you stick with it will learn a lot.

 

Were those three coins worth a total of $30? No.

If those three coins become an avenue through which you develop an interest, reqd around a little bit, begin to learn about the many affordable, genuine coins in decent shape that can be had inexpensively and cultivate a lasting connection to this hobby, is that worth 30 bucks? Absolutely.

 

There is truth in what has been said above. Your error here was failure to realize that tuition in the 'School of Hard Knocks' is wasted unless you learn from the process. You know we were here before you paid the money and you could have asked in advance. Do not search the web for mint state coins to set a value for the corroded and the broken.

I do not have exact matches for your three coins but these are similar. Would you pay a total of $30 for these or $30 each? (Coins not for sale.) I got them in the last decade at $26 total but I bought them at coin shows where sellers know how common these are. Flea market value is what someone will pay on any given day.

 

@dougsmit Those are nice coins...I am still in the .."they are almost 2000 years old, got to have them" when they are in front of me. Its like a addiction....

 

@Everett Guy, as you've been hearing, any of us here who didn't pay too much for their first several coins (Teacher, I Raise My Hand) has led a Very charmed life! Just to echo the last several posts, it's kind of integral to the process.
And, Dang, where have I been? Another Really Solid retail site is run by @Valentinian --who gets credit and blame for talking me into joining this forum, not so long ago. He specializes in late Roman (as in, Deep Into it), but his website covers a wide range of stuff, and his prices, and his ethics generally, are at the top level.
http://augustuscoins.com/index.html