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

I personally prefer the Roman and Byzantine coins myself (though the Greek coins are great too). As someone who studied Latin in middle and high school, the Roman culture really resonates with me and the imperial period is very recognizable. It's extremely fascinating to own a coin belonging to a great leader like Aurelian or a mad man like Caligula. I always thought it was a great combination of artistry and well-researched history. I hope to get a couple ancient Persian coins too.

 

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Everyone's answer is correct! (Well, it is to them, and that makes it so!)

I think that we all have both types (and others) in our collections and each one is interesting and important to us for its own reason (until a better example comes into our hands and then our evaluation changes).

I particularly like 'AncientJoe's response. I only hope that the examples that he has shared with us are from his own collection?

 

Thanks, and yes they are - you can see the rest of my collection at here: Colosseo Collection

 

A very BIG congrats to you! You are most certainly envied.
I have your collection 'bookmarked' on my computer, (along with TIFs). I didn't realize it was yours.
I am humble in your presence.

 

I started off collecting Roman but I am very drawn to Greek, not that I can afford the ones that I want. While I am here, I would like to thank AJ for sharing his collection. I adore his gold Pompeii coin, not because it is gold, but the colours are staggering and more importantly we know where it was on a particular day in history. Oh, and the "Boy on a Dolphin", it makes an excellent jigsaw

My own (very) humble collection contains a few coins that make me Deliriously happy, and that is what it is really all about.

 

Roman coins sestertius/ dupondius/ As years

 

You know, I am in awe of AJ's collection like everyone else; however, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who posts here for sharing their collections with me. In the couple of years that I've been on this forum, I have learned much more than I could possibly return. So, thanks to all of you guys and gals.

 

Like I said I like Greek coins the best, but my favorites are Greek coinage with the owl of Athena reverse. Might be my favorite design of any ancient coin.

 

I like the owls of Athens, too, coinman. They're very common, but very popular. Here is mine:

A few months after I purchased it, I received several volumes of Oliver Hoover's Handbooks of Greek Coinage Series and was surprised to see this coin as the "Extremely Fine" example in the preface of each volume!

 

WOW!!! The owls are WAY out of my budget but I still love them. Yours is beautiful! Most you see are struck poorly, worn and very discolored. Yours is incredible!!!

 

Both are very very nice.

 

Not as nice as yours, but I am happy with mine:

 

I thoroughly enjoy plate coins and it's understandable why yours was chosen to represent the grade Extremely Fine!

I have only one Owl tetradrachm at the moment, from the earlier Starr Group V.a, minted before the more common mass-emissions:


See my full thread here

 

I Help identify a coin

 

Of the two civilizations posted, I prefer Greek, then Roman Republic, and then Roman Empire.

But ancient Chinese is an underappreciated coinage.

 

I prefer Greek, no...Roman, wait... Greek, uhm Roman. Do I really have to pick one? I'll take both!

 

I enjoy BCE coinage from the Roman Republic, and those peoples associated or in conflict with them, ie: Samnium, Carthage, Etruscans, Mamertines, etc. additionally Makedonon coinage down to and including all of the Diadochi. However, I am collecting Ancient Chinese, Ancient Indian, and Pharoah cartouche Scarabs from Ancient Egypt. It isn't whether it is "Roman" or "Greek", rather it is the historical significance that the coin represents as a placemarker in Ancient Human History.

 

I collect coins from Julius Caesar to Domitian. So this covers some of the late republican or imperatorial era and the first hundred or so years of the empire. I have read about this time period and so I found myself attracted to coins from this era. I find this historical period to be very interesting and worthy of a lifetime of study.

If I had studied greek history I might have collected greek coins. For me I love the stories behind the end of the republic and the beginning of the empire. I also really enjoy the art of the talented engravers that bring these long dead emperors to life. I have spent most of my life as either a student or educator and collecting coins has been a way of continuing my education and has brought its share of joy with it as well.

 

I'll give a more serious reply. I'll collect anything in silver. I don't care if it's a Greek coin, Roman Republic, Imperial, Provincial, Islamic, Indian, or medieval. If it's medieval and older, and silver or high silver content Billon, I'll buy it...as long as it catches my attention.

 

I collect time period also, but Roman Republican and cast Central Italian coins.

A couple of large bronze pieces.


Of course, I have been known to stray at times like this small bronze from Antioch.