I think they'd get a kick out of owning a coin that's over 2,000 years old as they're approaching the age of learning about world history. (Yes, I know it won't say 'xxx BC' on it :smile) Is there something for under $100 that's still recognizable and has an interesting story to it? I know nothing about ancients, so how do I protect myself from fakes ... maybe go to some place like vcoins or is eBay safe enough for cheaper ancients? Thanks
For less than $100 you can get a great condition bronze from Alexander the Great, a pretty silver Roman Republican, some ancient jewish bronzes, lots of things. Vcoins will be safer regarding fakes, but pricier than many EBay auctions. Btw one of my favorites for non collectors is a Constantine the great coin where he is riding in a chariot and the "hand of God" literally is coming out of the sky to pull him up to him. Its the only physical representation of God I have ever seen on an ancient, and makes a cool story. They are found for less than $100, (I bought most of mine for $5 or so, but I am cheap).
Widow's mite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesson_of_the_widow's_mite Tyre Sheckel (30 pieces of silver) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Pieces_of_Silver Anything depicting either Constantine, Alexander (the great) or one of the famous emperors of Rome. There is so much from which to choose.
I doubt, though, you can get a shekel of Tyre for less than $100. Its a good suggestion, but I think outside the price target.
Or you can go for ones Randy And DougS like, Fallen Horseman, which is a action scene on the reverse of a guy spearing a enemy. http://bargainbinancients.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=1086 ^Also a excellent dealer with cheap coins. Even silver can be bought for around $50: http://bargainbinancients.com/zen/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=1493
Good advice as always. Some of these coins even have me curious as to their "stories." One in particular that caught my eye is - Mesembria AR Obol: Helmet/Wheel with M-E-T-A. Maybe because I don't know much about Thrace.
That's something I'd like to learn more about as well. I have a small cheap AE of theirs, but don't know too much about it. Mesembria, Thrace, c. 351 - 188 B.C. Bronze AE 17, SNG BM Black Sea 274-5, SGCV I 1675, SNG Cop 654, F, edge chips, flaking patina, Mesembria mint, 1.548g, 15.0mm, obverse crested helmet facing; reverse , META in the four quarters of a radiate wheel "Mesembria (Mesambria) was a Doric settlement on an island at the Black Sea coast. Today a man-made isthmus connects it to the mainland. The modern name is Nesebar, an important seaside resort. Several ancient churches and ruins are preserved on the peninsula."
I do not recommend a Mesembria silver because of the number of fakes out there and the difficulty many dealers have in separating the good from the bad. Several years ago there was a huge 'hoard' on the market for a couple hundred dollars a coin. There were several different dies and much discussion about the fact that no coin in the hoard was a die duplicate of any of the previously known examples. They turned out to be all fakes and are now known as the Black Sea Hoard. I agree that Bargain Bin is a worthwhile source but there are hundreds of others as well.
Here is a 'test' for any who wants to play: In the photo below at least one coin is fake (I bought it as such for a very low price). The other two may or may not be fakes and may or may not belong to the 'Hoard' (I'm not telling my opinion just yet). Who would be comfortable buying which of these coins? Would it make a difference if I told you where I bought the coins? Should it?
the top one looks like a fake to me..Why, by the way its' worn when I compare it to the others. The others are real..Total GUESS and trying to use some logic but we will see how good I do lol
I would say the middle one is fake. I am indifferent with the top one. The bottom I feel is real cause it has a countermark. I rarely see fakers adding a countermark on top of their fake. AR greeks I am still a total knob in.
I would go with the top coin. The main thing I remember as a diagnostic of these is the die cutter did not know it was a mask he was copying, and thought it was a stylized face. Therefor he cut the eyes like crude eyes and not empty holes in a mask.
This is as I see it. The top coin is definitely a 'Hoard' fake. The middle is IMHO 99% certainly real (ex Frank Robinson and bought for the letter on the obverse). The bottom was bought from CNG as real but I have some doubts. The countermark is not ancient (again my opinion) and looks like an H. That could be a Russian N which could stand for Nyet as in NO! Did you notice the E was retrograde? I would not sell it to a beginner but I tend to believe (hope?) it is OK.
