IYO...what does "classic series" mean? at least how many yrs old?

A lot, (of course not all), ancient collectors cut off at 1453 if they even collect Byzantine. It is a weird cutoff, not collecting 10th century Islamic but accepting 15th century Byzantine as "ancient". I go to 1453 in my ancient group, but also sneak in some contemporary issues like Bulgarian and Crusader types. Generally, ancients cut off in Europe in 1453 Byzantium, the rise of Islam in middle east, and I have no clue for Chinese. I collect Chinese but have no idea what would be considered ancient, medieval, or modern. The end of cash in 1911(?) might be the only dividing line between modern and "classic", with no other boudaries like Europeans use.

I have heard many mediaval collectors cutting off at milled coinage. But, they also buy my late Byzantine coins too, so we aren't exactly on speaking terms.

 

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Yeah, but Byzantines are usually covered as a series, lasting 491-1453. So that makes it hard to arbitrarily split it into two eras. It is already arbitrary starting at 491, this is only done since by then the west had fallen and Anastasius reformed the copper coinage. The only reform I believe that would be significant numismatically would be the Histemenon coinage change in the early 11th century I believe.

I always wondered why Byzantines were consider ancient. I would think with a starting date of 491 they should be listed as the first medieval coinage, but historically ancient collectors collected them, but not other medieval. Moving Byzantines to medieval solves all of the problems really, and the fall of Western Rome is effectively the end of antiquity. Earliest medieval, (or Dark Age as us politically incorrect dolts put it), would be Byzantine, Ostrogoths, Vandals, etc.

I have never heard of people lumping the years 500-799 with antiquity in the West. Hmm, I would say it has more to do with Dark Ages or "early medieval" than antiquity, but thats just me.

We should start a petition Doug. Cointalk henceforth decrees Byzantine coinage is medieval!