Greek Coins vs. Roman Coins: What do You Prefer?

Two of the most popular ancients come from Greek or Roman civilizations. Both coins are vary different in design, Greeks would mint beautiful silver coins with breathtaking diverse high relief designs, and Romans minted coins of a silver brass alloy, billion, showing each Emperor's bust. The question is, what do you like better, Roman or Greek?

I prefer Greek coins, for I love how amazing some of the designs are with various reverse designs, and many mints (Romans have many mints too though), I love how detailed the bust on the obverse is too.

 

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Can I choose Roman Republican coinage?

 

For artistry I would say greeks. I wish I could afford more greeks, especially in silver. But from a historical standpoint, I lean towards Roman. Only because there is more written about them & their coins are much more affordable, especially in silver.

 

Considering the Roman you show would sell for about the same as my house (and 500 times the Greek you show), I'll choose Roman. Considering I have 3 Romans for every Greek on my 100 favorites list, I'll choose Roman. That said, I can't see collecting one without the other but that is a personal preference. I know perfectly same people who would vote both ways.

 

All roads lead to Rome...not Greece.

 

The coins I'd like to have the most are Greek, but the coins I have the most are Roman. I like filet mignon, but couldn't eat it every day.

 

BOTH!

roman provincials with greek legends are super cool as well.

 

I'm really into Roman history and culture (especially the later imperial era), so Roman coinage for me. The only Greek I collect are Byzantine coinage. Ancient Greek history and culture is overall somewhat interesting to me, but not enough to make me want to collect the coinage (even if they are "prettier" than what I usually collect).

 

I'm a fan of both, but my favourites seem to be good ol' archaic Greek coins!!


... they just seem so "homemade" (very cool)

 

Depends on what you mean. A ton of "greek" coins are not ethnically greek, in fact were enemies of the greeks. If you mean, "I prefer 600-200BC western coinage over 200BC-476AD coins, then I might agree with you. Some of my favorite coins are Punic or Parthian, but I dare you to go back in time and call one a greek.

 

Macedonian coins are very nice, but they are not greek by definition, just Provinces somewhat separate of Greece. It is like how some people call cash coins "Chinese cash coins" when they were minted in Thailand. What I mean is "600-200BC western coinage vs coins from 200BC-476AD lol.

 

I tend to lean towards Greek but I do like both. The majority of my ancients are Greeks but there are some Romans that makes my bidding finger itch.

 

=> well said, medoraman ... I like "any coins" that are within the 600-200 BC era (Greek and/or whatever else was goin' on during those amazingly cool coin-times)


.... I guess I merely should have said that I love "archaic coins"

 

Coin collectors and particularly the ones who write books on coins seem to want to force some very non Greek coins into their books on Greek coins. Some of these non-Greek people did themselves no favor in this regard by using Greek letters on their coins. I can argue all day that the Parthians and Kushans were not Greek but their coin legends make their coins sure look that way. On the other hand we have Iberian and Phoenician coins with their own letters but collectors still go to Sear Greek Coins and their values when they want a catalog number. Go figure.

Purists will not understand what you mean if you call 600-200 BC 'Archaic' which they will reserve for the earliest Greek coins (and art) before Classical which was before Hellenistic. You can argue about exact start and stop dates. Of the thing I stopped believing in long ago, hard, fixed dates expressed in modern calendar terms are high on the list. Rome stopped falling in 476 AD in my book years ago.

I love archaic coins, too. Those are roughly the first 10% or so of Greek coins made. When they started using round reverse dies and started worrying about making coins round and even, things started going downhill.

 

I like the archaic period of Greece for its history...



... the "Classical" period for its artistry...



... the Roman Republic for its history...



... and the Roman Empire for its history and artistry (at times)

 

I'm trying to stay focused on 600-200BC western coinage. When opportunity knocks or a coin talks, I become less focused.

All the coins on my short list are Greeks (ie turtles, crabs, bees, dolphin boys, etc.).

 

Everyone is soooo hung up on the Greeks and Romans, nice coins.
When you can't choose go...Persian


or try a new flavor...

 

Both! Even though my collection doesn't have any of these.. I'd like any old silver/gold coins!

 

Yeah, there are definitely a lot more than just Greek and Roman coins. I have coins from Carthage, Phoenicia, Islamic, Judaea, Hispania, India region and even ancient to medieval Chinese.

What I think about Greek coins is that they have both awesomely artistic and incredibly ugly down to the tee. I've seen Greek coins on both ends of the spectrum.

I like Roman coins most of all because they have a propaganda art style, they are usually more affordable for my budget and easier to collect in sets.

What it boils down to is that there is enough diversity for you to collect whatever you want and however you want. Something there for every type of collector, if you enjoy set collecting, coins that catch your eye or even a coin that calls to you in a mysterious way that you just have to obtain.