Grr..Now I want an ancient coin - Collectors of ancient - please recommend

People in this thread have posted some beautiful cancient coins.
http://www.cointalk.com/t192649-2/

I do not collect anicents, nor can I afford to start. However, I do want ONE for my collection.
So I was hoping you ancient collectors could recommend one for me.
I would like to get the nicest one within my budget of $150.

Is there some more 'common' available ones so I can get a higher grade example?
I would like it to be on the larger side. (something larger then a modern dime)
Composition doesn't matter.
Where is the best place to purchase one?

What do you think?
-greg

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Lots of choices. The Gordian posted is well within that price range, and large than a dime, (more the size of a nickel).

What do you consider ancient? You can get a very large Byzantine bronze for that money. I own one the size of a silver dollar from the 6th century. Large Ptolemy bronzes can still be found. $150 might be tight for a greek Tetradrachm nowadays, but I think you can still get a drachm.

My suggestion sir would be to look at www.cngcoins.com at their electronic auctions. They post new ones every few weeks. Great people, largest ancient firm in the US if not the world. Not saying you have to buy there, but you can get a great idea of what is available. Better than most of the junk on Ebay.

Chris

 

Thank you chris! I will check them out.

 

If you browse Vcoins with a 120 to 160 USD price range, you will find 9000+ items. Coins and artifacts actually. But for coins, as various as roman imperial, roman provincial, greek, byzantine, sassanian, parthian, indo-scythian, ummayad, and so on

A very nice trip through History and coinage

Q

 

Any idea what you want?

 

You buy what you like. I have recently seen two or three low grade asses of Nero with the temple of Janus reverse for $75 to $150. I also recall a perfect sestertius that went for $12,000. Ancients fit all budgets. Nero is an emperor people know and asses are quarter size (but copper and thicker). There are a million other choices if Nero does not interest you.

 

after I saw this: http://www.cointalk.com/t192649/#post1272974 I too want an ancient!

 

If you get a genuine coin from a reputable dealer then I suggest you just buy what you like & you will probably always enjoy the coin.

There is a very basic ancient coin book that I've read a couple times since I bought it earlier this year. It is a Whitman guide book called "Handbook of Ancient Greek & Roman Coins" by Zander H. Klawans. As I recall the price was something like $14. The book is loaded with pictures & descriptions.

 

Klawans has been belittled, but I find his books fun for beginners. Its a great point, in that the more you put into ancients the more you get out of it. The more you learn about them, the more interesting they become.

In the ancient world, most people were illiterate. The legends on the coins, therefor, were not of much interest to most. The symbolism, however, everyone understood. Its like a foreign language to us, but a language that resonated with the population at the time. If you simply assume every little detail on a coin was put there for a reason, you will see how much symbolism was being conveyed. Too many new collectors simply think the design was "cool looking" and don't understand the important messages being conveyed on the coins, something that to me makes them more interesting by far.

 

Another informative post from Medoraman

I'm at the stage you describe where I like what is "cool looking". I have a short list of "cool looking" designs that I want to acquire & I certainly enjoy learning more about the symbolism being conveyed by all the devices on the coins.

 

Get the book first and read up......Good book. But what are you looking for? Catholics favor Constantine....I prefer Greek silver....but be forewarned...China makes ALOT of fakes. some really good!

 

There are lots of good fakes in ancients, but they are not from China, (except for the ancient chinese ones). Reproductions of ancient coins have been happening long before the US even made coins, its not new. This is why buying from a good dealer is very important until you can start to tell the difference.