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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 1235865, member: 19463&quot;]A tip:&nbsp; There are a couple hundred Roman rulers shown on coins.&nbsp; The first step for ID is to eliminate the ones it can not be and start with the ones most likely.&nbsp; That often means starting with the reverse of the coin.&nbsp; The first example here shows the extremely common &#039;Falling Horseman&#039; type from the middle of the fourth century AD.&nbsp; It was issued by four very common rulers.&nbsp; Our coin shows headgear on the portrait which eliminates the two who were Caesar but not Augustus and were only shown bare headed.&nbsp; That leave two possibilities.&nbsp; One of those is scarce with this reverse because he died early in the period and his few coins of the type were large and well made compared to what we see here.&nbsp; That leave only one choice so, without a single letter showing, the coin can be IDed to Constantius II.</p><p>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/ftr.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/ftr.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/ftr.html</a> </p><p><br /></p><p>The other is harder because the reverse is known to more than one ruler of the Valentinian period and the coin might never be fully identifiable.&nbsp; Perhaps half of all existing ancient coins can not be identified fully in poor condition while the other half provide certain clues that persist until the coin is slick.&nbsp; We can tell general things about these coins but not all the details.</p><p><a href="http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/" rel="nofollow">http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Another tip:&nbsp; Beginners to collecting ancient coins might want to buy slightly better looking coins which tend to be easier to read and understand than things which leave question as to which side is up.&nbsp; Decent looking coins can be found for as little as $5 and will be more pleasing than things that no expert can identify even if they were cheaper. </p><p><br /></p><p>How do you do it?&nbsp; Start slowly and keep at it.&nbsp; There is no single book that will make you expert overnight.&nbsp; I&#039;m getting to the point I can ID more than half of the ancient coins I see and I know a few people I can ask for help when I&#039;m stumped that will cover half of that other half.&nbsp; That only leaves a few hundred thousand mysteries left to be addressed.&nbsp; That is the hobby.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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