Set Category: Ancients

Set Name: The Wonderful World of Ancient Coin Collecting

Set Description: First let me say I know squat about ancient coins. A few years ago I purchased a small box of ancient coins at a backwoods country auction up here in Vermont. As it turns out there were some coins in that box whose value far exceeded the $28.25 I paid for the box. I have been active in coin collecting for over 50 years but limited my interest to world coins (this does include U.S. coins). I stayed away from ancients due to a total lack of knowledge related to this material. So now that I am building this collection, am I pursuing this knowledge? No, not really!!!!!!!!! When I seriously got into coins I learned from people such as Pete Boyer owner of Coins of the Realm in Rockville, MD as well as his staff and a host of dealers from Virginia to Baltimore and most importantly Charles Hoskins the first authenticator for ANACS. Finding such individuals in the backwoods of Vermont with a knowledge of ancients equal to the knowledge of world coins that my friends in Maryland passed on to me isn’t going to happen So why go into Ancients? I need money to supplement my retirement and that source of money has been my collection of world coins which is now down to about 60 coins. Simply I love working with/collecting coins. However I financially could not afford to continue collecting the type of material I have been selling off. So I looked for something else I could turn my attention to. Then I remembered I had a little box of ancients and I then checked out the ancients on eBay (believe me eBay and other online auctions are about the only source of ancients up here in Vermont). Ignoring those coins with fixed prices there are a lot of inexpensive ancient coins on eBay and elsewhere. In my approach to collecting ancients I apply the following categorization for my ancient coins: Greek Coins and all related issues Celtic issues Roman Republic Coins Roman Imperial Coins Roman Provincial Coins Barbarous issues of Roman Coins Byzantine Coins Yes this is just too expansive an area to collect for someone with extremely limited funds. So here is what I do. I have focused my attention to Roman Imperial Coinage (RIC) and Roman Provincial Coinage (RPC). However when I go to a site offering ancient coins, I search all of the groups/areas listed above. If I find a coin in any of these groups that I can afford and meet my standards I will buy it or enter a bid if it is an auction. Usually I find more than one coin I would like for my collection. In such cases I will go for the RIC & RPC first unless I believe one of the other coins is a much better value for the money. Don’t believe every coin I buy online satisfies my collecting standards once the coin is in my hand and I am no longer looking at a photo which may or may not have shown the true condition of the coin. But I believe overall my successful purchases more than compensate for my mistakes. In my write-ups I enter my cost for each coin in my collection. I do this because in reality I have no idea what I should pay for any of these coins. The values in Sear’s catalogues are at least 10 years old when you factor in the 3 to 5 years it takes to produce those catalogues and some are decades old. I have been told to go to Vauctions or Vcoins since these are sales by dealers only and their starting values and estimates will provide current valuation guidance. My problem with Vauctions and Vcoins is that it appears this is where ancient dealers dump all their junk coins. Very seldom do I find a coin whose condition meets my collecting standards. I would be pleased if those that look at what I present here would e-mail me with feedback on what I paid for my ancients. Please be gentle. Another issue facing me is a major spilt in the approach to grading ancients. The predominant grading culture that existed before NGC was that an ancient coin’s grade (wear from use) and condition issues (strike, surface condition etc.) could all be expressed buy a single grade. There simply is no argument that you can make that would convince me this true. Yet old time collectors of ancient coins will defend this system with their lives. All I can say is go to Vcoins & Vauctions and check out the ancient coins and their associated grades and tell me if you understand what is going on. One thing you might notice is that almost every coin grades VF with or without some modifier. One day I was checking out this site and I noticed a horrible looking Greek bronze coin, I could not even make out the entire design and it was graded a solid VF!!!!!!!!!!! That is when I went back to eBay. I truly embrace NGC’s approach to grading ancients. With only two exceptions all my ancients have both a strike & surface with a score of at least 3/5, it is my understanding for an ancient to be "on grade" both strike & surface must be rated 3/5 or simply the coin is not on grade. That is an XF with a strike of 5/5 and surface of 2/5 does not grade a solid XF but something slightly less. So I have my decades old Sear’s catalogues and I searcher the various online ancient sites. It is fun and it keeps me in the coin arena and I believe I am truly building a nice little collection. I have come to embrace the world of ancient coins basically for three features these coins offer, these are: 1- Numerous ancient coins have a direct tie-in to ancient events or individuals. This can best be demonstrated with the first coin listed in my set which is a silver tetradrachm issued by Attica, Athens; c.440-404 BC. The historical significance of this tetradrachm issue by Athens can not be under stated in that it was used to pay for the construction of the Parthenon (as well as other buildings) and the Peloponnesian Wars. 2- I consider many ancient coins to be small works of art. Have you ever compared the details and strike of ancient coins to coins that were struck from lets say 700 to 1,500 AD? Quite often there is no comparison and coins from the 2nd century AD back to the 5th Century BC will almost always be a superior product (comparing coins of equal grade). The coin in my collection that best demonstrates what I am trying to get at here is the AR tetradrachm of the Seleucid Kingdom issued by Antiochus VII, 138-129 BC. Tell me how long was it be after the fall of the Greek & Roman Empires before you would see coins made for circulation that had such detail and design workmanship? 3- Best of all there is the diversity in the material one can collect. Since starting this collection I have shifted my emphasis to ancient “coppers” (i.e., copper, bronze & brass) coinage. The reasons for this shift in emphasis are as follows: • They are not as expensive as most silver and gold coins. Because of the low cost of ancient “coppers” the average cost of the ancients (silver & "copper") in this collection is currently less than $90 per coin. • I love the challenge of finding really nice specimens of ancient copper coins. One can find tons of ancient coppers but the challenge is finding what to me are above average specimens i.e. definitely above Fine and preferably above VF. • I am simply sick when I purchase an ancient silver on eBay and it shows up looking like a bright - shinny metal mirror. I feel much more comfortable being able to detect cleaned/polished copper coins shown in photos. Thus I feel much safer when I purchase copper coins online. Regarding my coppers I honestly don’t know if I have even one that would cause a knowledgeable collector of ancients to say hey that is a great coin. However those ancient coppers I consider to be at the top of my collection are as follows: • Roman Empire - Sev. Alexander: AE Sestertius Sear #7979: Ch XF - Strike 5/5 - Surface 3/5 - deposits • Roman Empire - Galerius AD 305-311: BI Nummus Sear #14542: Ch AU - Strike 5/5 - Surface 4/5 • Roman Empire - Maxentius 306-312 AD: BI Nummus Sear #14975: AU* - Strike 5/5 - Surface - 5/5 • Roman Provincial Coinage - Elagabalus AD 218 – 222: AE27 of Nikopolis Magistrate Rufus; Varbanov 3918: XF- Strike 5/5 - Surface 4/5 • Roman Provincial Coinage - Sev. Alexander AD 222-235: AE 26 Moushmov 714: Ch XF - Strike 4/5 - Surface 4/5 • Roman Provincial Coinage - Philip II AD 247 – 249: AE 28 Similar to Moushmov #2323: AU - Strike 4/5 - Surface 5/5 • Roman Provincial Coinage - Lydia, Appolonis, 2nd Century AD: AE 16: AU - Strike 4/5 - Surface - 4/5: a great looking coin • Byzantine Empire - Justinian I, AD 527-565: AE 37mm Follis 40 Nummi. Cyzicus: XF* - Strike 5/5 - Surface - 5/5 • Byzantine Empire - Justinian I, AD 527-565: AE 20 Nummi, Cyzicus: XF* - Strike 5/5 - Surface - 4/5 • Byzantine Empire - Justin II & Sophia, 565 - 578 AD: AE Follis-40 Nummi: XF - Strike - 5/5 - Surface: 4/5 The first two Byzantine coins shown above form a perfect matched set which I did not plan. I found these coins at different times on eBay and could not pass them up when I found them. When you review my set I would like to request that you observe the diversity I've been able to achieve in such a small set as well as the overall condition of the coins in my set and the “coppers” in particular. The coins in my set do not come close to approaching the grades and condition of those in the sets such as those presented by Aspen Park (you should check out these sets) but I am still proud my coins. At the moment I have one ancient in my collection which I can not list, that coin is an Aes Grave Semis; Sear #535. This is a cast ancient Roman bronze coin which NGC does not certify. This coin has been authenticated by David Sear and graded Fine. It is my understanding based on a article in Coin World’s February 7, 2011 issue this coin can not be imported into the US for the next five years and possibly forever if the MOU continues to be renewed. Before ending this write up I want to give a big thank you to my fellow registry members that provide extensive photos as part of their registry listing. I don’t mean to upset any of my fellow registry members, but looking at a registry set with no or very few photos is like going to an art museum only to find empty frames on the walls along with a little card providing the title of the picture and name of the artist that would be there if the museum ever decided to take the picture out of the vault. No one can find this either enlightening or interesting. I would also like to suggest that when posting photos in the registry you show only the coin. The holder provides absolutely no info not already presented in the registry listing and for providing absolutely no new information it takes up way too much of the space allotted by NGC for the photo. Well thank you for checking out my collection and I wish you the best of luck in the pursuit of your collecting goals and interests.

Set Goals: My goals are as follows: • To continue to grow my set of ancients and maintain its diversity to the extent that my funds allow. • To collect coins struck under as many different issuers of Roman Imperial coinage as possible. The Wildwinds site lists 221 separate issuers of Roman Imperial coinage so at my age and with my limited funds I don’t think I am going to complete this goal but these are no reasons to stop chasing this goal. • To concentrate on "better" grade copper coinage (for me better grade coppers are VF & better).

Owner:     RAM-VT


custom-informative-noNumber.png Most Informative Custom Set


Signature Set Details:
Slot NameCoin InfoGraded ByCountry
Greek Civic Coinage NGC 
Greek Civic Coinage NGC 
Greek Civic Coinage NGC 
Coinage of the Greek Empires NGC 
Coinage of the Greek Empires NGC 
Coinage of the Greek Empires NGC 
Coinage of the Greek Empires NGC 
Coinage of the Greek Empires NGC 
Coinage of the Greek Empires NGC 
Celtic Coinage NGC 
Celtic Coinage NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Republic NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Republic NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Republic NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Republic NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Roman Empire NGC 
Eastern Roman Emprire NGC 
Coinage of the Western Roman Empire NGC 
Coinage of the Western Roman Empire NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage NGC 
Hellenistic - Persian Period - Judaea NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage - Judaea NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage - Judaea NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage - Judaea NGC 
Roman Provincial Coinage - Judaea NGC 
Barbarous Roman Coinage NGC 
Barbarous Roman Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 
Byzantine Coinage NGC 

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