Your First Ancient

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ajax, May 23, 2016.

  1. Ajax

    Ajax Well-Known Member

    Lets see your first ancient coins and how did you get into them?
    rCH32oPcyHJ56osXLA4fzaZ98Yt8JG-1.jpg
    My first:
    Philip V of Macedon
    Attribution: SNG Copenhagen 1244
    Date: 221-179 BC
    Obverse: Head of Zeus right, wearing oak wreath
    Reverse: B-A / Φ, Athena advancing right, brandishing spear and shield
    Size: 19.12 mm
    Weight: 4.25 grams

    Two months ago I had no idea one could collect things like this. I've always loved greek and roman history it just never occured to me that one could collect ancient coins. I always thought they belonged in a musuem its awesome to be able to own something that has so much history.
     
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  3. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    An awesome first!

    My first 2 :)

    c047.JPG aug1.JPG
     
  4. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    My first ancient purchase ...

    => just a random decision ($25, delivered)

    I never looked back ...


    Valentinian I, AE19
    Valentinian I & Emperor with captive

    ancient23.jpg ancient23b.jpg
     
  5. ro1974

    ro1974 Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
    Great coins all, My first acient
     
  6. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Nice first choice. I went with a 'first ten'...

    upload_2016-5-23_16-41-30.png

    To be honest, when I got them in hand I was so underwhelmed - smaller and grubbier than the pictures! - I didn't make another purchase for a year. Sometimes things just take a bit of time to grow on you. Now, well past my first thousand ancients, those first ten make me smile fondly.
     
  7. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Mine were 5 in the first purchase: An Alexander III Drachm (not pictured), and 4 Attica Tets:

    upload_2016-5-23_7-36-32.png
    upload_2016-5-23_7-37-6.png
     
  8. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    My first purchases---about thirty years ago---were of lots of uncleaned bronzes from a company that once operated out of California...and quite a few were decent LRB's. I had already started with moderns and was astonished to find out so many 'ancients' were not only available but quite affordable.
     
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  9. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    My first was this MA Legionary Denarius in approx. 1981.
    Marcus Antonius  1 a.jpg
     
  10. The Big Bad Wolf

    The Big Bad Wolf Well-Known Member

    Not bad for your first.
    Here was mine. It's been a long time
    since I bought it.

    image.jpeg
    Eugenius
    392-394 AD
    AE 14mm
    0.65 gm
    (Trier)
    Obv.: DN E[VGENI-VS] PF AVG; Draped, cuirassed and diademed bust right.
    Rev.: VICT[ORI-A AV]GG; In ex: TR; Victory advancing left. RIC 107.
     
  11. ancientnut

    ancientnut Well-Known Member

    I no longer own the first ancient coin I purchased, but I remember it well. I was at the 1986 ANA mid-winter in Salt Lake City and I was collecting Bust halves at the time. When I saw an elephant denarius labelled "mint traveling with Julius Caesar" I was hooked and began the conversion to ancients. BTW, it was a beautiful EF for $250...:banghead::greedy:
     
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  12. ken454

    ken454 Well-Known Member

    my first 2, bought off ebay for 10 bucks each....

    RIC7-238.jpg
    Constans as Augustus (337 - 350AD)
    Siscia mint. AE3
    Struck - 334-335 AD.
    Obv./ FL CONSTANS PF AVG, laureate, cuirassed, draped bust right.
    Rev./ GLORIA EXERCITVS, two soldiers standing with spears and shields, two
    standards with "O" between, pellet ASIS pellet in ex.
    18.1mm 2.0g
    RIC VII 238

    RIC8-99.jpg
    Constans, AE3, Siscia. 346-348 AD.
    CONSTAN-S PF AVG, rosette-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right /
    GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers holding spears and shields
    with one standard between them. Chi-rho on banner.
    Mintmark: BSIS dot in crescent
    16.3mm 1.3g
    RIC VIII 99
     
  13. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Purchased here on cointalk from another collector.

    [​IMG]
    Septimius Severus (193 - 211 A.D)
    AR Denarius
    O: SEVERVS AVG PART MAX, Laureate head right.
    R:RESTITVTOR VRBIS (Restoration of the City), Severus in military attire, spear in left, sacrificing over a tripod altar with right.
    Rome mint, 201 A.D.
    3.3g
    18mm
    RIC 167a, RSC 599, BMCRE 202
     
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  14. Ardatirion

    Ardatirion Où est mon poisson

    July 2005 at a small antique shop in Stratford, England. I wasn't collecting anything at the time. It would be about five months before I picked up collecting US again, and then another six or so before I got my next ancient.

    [​IMG]
    Constantine I. Trier mint, 1st officina. Struck spring AD 317​
     
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  15. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Purchased in April 2015
    otho combined.jpeg
     
  16. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Nor surprisingly I don't have a pic of mine, but also not unsurprisingly still own the coin. It was a pretty little 3/4 head Larissa bronze with pretty deep green patina. As pretty as this coin is, I am always surprised why I am not more of an ancient greek collector.
     
  17. Ken Dorney

    Ken Dorney Yea, I'm Cool That Way...

    Still have it after 30 years! Bought in 1985 for $29 (not a good investment!):

    Valerian I, 253 - 260 AD

    AR Antoninianus, 21mm, 3.9 grams
    Obverse: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, Radiate bust right.
    Reverse: RESTITVT ORIENTIS, The Orient standing on left, presenting wreath to Valerian who stands on right.
    RIC287
    00013x0.jpg
     
  18. SIliquae

    SIliquae Well-Known Member

    My first siliqua, in 2011, was a siliqua of Theodosius I. It was so nice, not round,
    cut edges, I immediately think "I want it". And I decide to collect siliquae, And 5 year later,400 of it sisters joined it !

    [​IMG]

    Silique, 378-383, C1
    A/ D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG
    R/ VIRTVS RO-MANORVM//AQPS
    Argent, 1.33 gr - 18 mm - 12h
    RIC IX 28d, RSC 56†d, MAR 782

    Fiche de la monnaie sur la base Siliquae
     
  19. The Big Bad Wolf

    The Big Bad Wolf Well-Known Member

    I like it!
     
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  20. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    you always remember your first hu?

    here's mine, an ebay 10 buck arcadius...

    [​IMG]

    almost 5 years ago now, doesn't seem like it.
     
  21. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Yeah, its amazing how fast time and number of coins fly by once you get bitten. :)
     
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