How To Start In Ancient Coins?

When I started the thread on foreign coins, I did think about ancient coins, but decided not to specify ancient or modern.

Now, at what approximate date is a coin considered ancient?

Any recommendations for one who would like to start collecting ancients slowly and cheaply to start?

 

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everyone has a different answer to this question, but most will say ancient stops will the fall of the roman empire (around 476 a.d.).

cheap is late roman bronzes (300 a.d. and later, though the starting date may be earlier. again, depends on whom you ask). most can be had for under $25, to as little as $3, depending on condition of the coin.

 

Any recommendations for one who would like to start collecting ancients slowly and cheaply to start?

I would suggest that you get one of the introductory books. I bought an introductory book (new) for something like $10-$15. I forget the title right now & I think the author was something like "Klawans". I'll do a quick search to see if I can find the info for you here at CT.

 

This is a very basic book:
Zander Klawans book "Ancient Greek & Roman Coins"
Whittman Publishing. ISBN 0-307-09362-X

You can also do a search at CT for "ancient book" and you will find dozens of previous threads which may help.

 

cheapest way to get in that i found was to buy a set of 10 "buried" roman coins for $10 and do a bit of research into how to clean them. You will end up with 9 peices of junk and maybe 1 nice whole common "small" coin. While mine are still not clean enough for identification yet (at least not by me ) i posted my best one here and have at least and idea what i have. And while i have been doing some reading (and waiting for a book to arrive, damn slow media mail) I have learn quite a bit already right here reading the ancient coin posts. Again, I myself am a base beginner in ancient coins but I can say i have already gotten a good $10s worth of enjoyment out of that lot of coins and am looking into some silver peices in the future once i know enough not to get easily robbed


edit.. cool i ordered the right book
"Zander Klawans book "Ancient Greek & Roman Coins"

 

Late Roman empire coins are plentiful and cheap. I would start there, enjoy. :smile

 

What you might want to do is poke around some reputable dealers to see what you can get in your price range. Bargain Bin Ancients is a good place to start, but you can also check out Forvm'sp under $40 section (though they generally tend to be more expensive than some other places), or you can do a search in your price range on VCoins. For that last site, you'll need to search for something specific, so here are some things you'll generally find cheaply:

coin types:
follis
antoninianus

emperors:
Constantine
Constantius II
Constans
Valens
Valentinian
Theodosius
Claudius Gothicus
Aurelian
Probus
Gallienus
Gordian III

With these terms, you'll find Roman coins mostly from the 4th and late 3rd century, and you should be able to get decent examples of all of them for under $30. I rather like Gordian III coins myself, since they still have a more classical look than the more stylized coins that came to prominance within a couple decades and still have a decent silver content, but due to the obscurity of the emperor and the number of coins available, they don't cost an arm and a leg. If you care more about having something with historical value or a famous emperor than having something in good shape, you might find that some more famous emperors can be had in your price range. If you have any particular interests right now (geographic locations, large coins, small coins, silver, animal depictions, etc.), let us know, and we can probably help you find something you'll like, particularly if you give us whatever price range you have in mind.

For how to procede, at least when it comes to Roman coins, most people start with trying to get one coin of each emperor, and over time they find certain areas that interest them more and end up focusing on those. When I started, I had a secondary goal of trying to get one of each Roman Imperial denomination, and I think that that helped me get a better feel for Roman currency as a whole as well. In case it isn't already obvious, I collect Roman coins primarily, so hopefully someone else can help with some other areas. I will however say that one shouldn't forget the Parthians and Sasanids, since they had some pretty interesting and attractive coinage.

For other resources, a lot of people like Sayle's Ancient Coin Collecting books, but I found that at least with the first volume, I'd already learned just about everything in it online by the time I got it. For websites, Doug Smith's site is one of the best places to start, and What I Like About Ancient Coins has a lot of good information as well. You'll also probably want to check out the boards at Forvm, since they're filled with experts.

 

And us here are chopped liver?

As for dating, the fall of the Roman west is usually the end of "ancients" in the west, but most ancient collections also include Byzantine, the Romans in the East, up until their fall in 1453. In the east, "ancient" usualy goes until the rise of Islam.

For series, late roman are cheap and plentiful. Roman coins are popular since many emperors are well known to us, we can read the inscriptions, and books are plentiful. Its a cheap place to start.

As for books, the best book I could recommend for roman would be Sear's 1988 volume of Roman Coins and their values. Sayles put out a whole series of introductory books that are decent background reading. Aorta by Suarez is an inexpensive beginner volume. There are others as well. I would suggest stalking Ebay for book listings and asking opinions here about the book. Last count I have about 700 coin books, about 600 of those on ancient coins, so chances are pretty good I own the book in question, or have a good opinion on it.

I also highly recommend Doug Smith's site. Lots of good reading.

 

My interest in ancient coins is multiplying. I really appreciate the input thus far.

 

Anceint Persian

 

Really? Which ones are cheap nowadays? Even Khusro II Sassanian is pushing $50 per, with early Sassanid, Parthian and Acheamenid even higher. Heck, I even pay $20 or more for any decent copper Kushanshah I can find.

 

OK - ancient Kashmir

 

Western Satraps

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/sart.html

 

Indo-Sassanian

http://www.londoncoin.com/images/foreign_coins/pages/IndosassanianO1.html

 

how about a Pre-historic coin?

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/archeopteryx.html

 

Ruben = none of those are good beginner collector areas. They are coinages that scholarship is just starting to fully explain, are in a difficult to read eastern script, and are often difficult to find. Perhaps that's why you flaked out of your chances to purchase a Yehud coin.

 

I flaked out because even with my reading glasses I couldn't find them in the flip. It is much like a flea circus.

 

btw - One thing for sure is that they are cheap. Mine cost $5 and $15 .

 

pre-historic coin does not seem possible because pre-historic indicates pre-records and coins are records.

 

Ruben, you are now talking in my "wheelhouse". I do love all of the coins you mention, but for reasons Bill cited, lack of current references, lack of availability, etc I wouldn't suggest as a starting area. If you find one cheap great, but they are not a large, strong area to concentrate on.

Your Persian area idea is WONDERFUL, just not that cheap anymore and not as easy to get references for. The Sassanids have a new series coming out for them, but so far only 3 of expected 10 volumes are out and run $150+ each. Short of that, you have Gobl from the early 70's and a so-so volume by Sellwood which is very scarce to find. Compare that with hundred of references on Roman coins, and tens of thousands of Roman coins available every day, and you see why most of us recommend Roman as a START for ancient collectors.

Start there, and if you like Persian coinage feel free. Just don't bid against me on Persian. Sogdian coins, though, are all losers and NO ONE should ever try to collect them, as I find the competition fierce enough for these now as it is.