Learning about foreign coins!!!!

koreansteve

I've been colleting indian heads for a while, although i'm only 17 years old so i don't have an EXTREME depth of knowledge. However, i do understand the concepts of grading (and can grade fairly well) and have read coin world for a while so i know something about coins.

I just got back from my local coin club's annual December banquet and we had a speaker talk about the 12 Caesars and it has me semi-interested in collecting, or at least learning about) ancient coins. So my question is: HOW DO I BEGIN LEARNING ABOUT ANCIENT COINS?

I've taken 4 years of latin in high school and am currently enrolled in Art History, so i am partial to the Greeks and Romans, but i think learning about and collecting coins from any era prior to 1000 AD would be very exciting due to the mystic behind the culture. Is it best to focus on just one civilization and gain expertise in that area when collecting ancient coins?

Any help would be appreciated. Also, please mention any books or magazines (such as "Coin World" for US coins) that you've found particularly helpful in your learning of ancient coins.

THANK YOU for helping me out.

tbirde56

Welcome Steve!
I'm sure you'll get lots of good answers here but there's also an interesting forum concentrating on Ancients HERE.

mongoose

Joe Sermarini is a nice guy and a member of my local coin club. His website is top notch, as is his lifetime return policy on his coins. He guarantees his coins for eternity.

Askari

It's not my main collecting interest anymore, but here are a number of good introductory references. Also, keep in mind that "ancients" covers coinage from Europe to China.


Carradice, Ian. Greek Coins. Austin, TX: Univ. of Texas Press, 1995.

Hendin, David. Guide to Biblical Coins; 3rd Edn. NY: Amphora, 1996.

Hill, George F. Ancient Methods of Coining. Rockville Centre, NY: Sanford J. Durst (Attic Books), 1997.

de Jersey, Philip. Celtic Coinage in Britain; Shire Archaeology, No. 72. Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, UK: Shire Publications, 2001. [Reprint of 1996 edn.]

Klawans, Zander H.; Bressett, Ken E., ed. Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins. Racine, WI: Whitman, 1995.

Nash, Daphne. Coinage in the Celtic World. London: Seaby, 1987.

Sayles, Wayne G. Ancient Coin Collecting. Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1996. [Actually, this is the first of a seven-volume set issued through 2001.]

Van Meter, David. The Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins; A Complete Guide to the History, Types and Values of Roman Imperial Coinage. Utica, NY: Laurion Press, 2000 [2nd Reprint].



Some more advanced -- and more expensive -- books that are essential for the specialist include:

Sear, David R. Roman Coins and Their Values; 4th Rev. Edn. London: Seaby, 1988. [Single-volume edition; 5th “Millenium” edition came out published by Spink as a three-volume set covering. Vol. 1 (publ. 2000) covers the Republic and the Twelve Caesars, 280 BC – AD 96 (@ $75); Vol. 2 (2002) covers the Adoptive Emperors to the Severans (@ $85); Vol. 3 is due out in 2004.]

Sear, David R. Greek Coins and Their Values, Vol. 1 – Europe. London: Seaby, 1978. [$60]

Sear, David R. Greek Coins and Their Values, Vol. 2 – Asia and Africa. London: Seaby, 1979. [$60]

Sear, David R. Greek Imperial Coins and Their Values. London: Seaby, 1982. [$85]

koreansteve

thanks askari, that really helps

Automan

Follow tbirde56's link and it'll open up a new world for you!

Auto

koreansteve

tbirde, thanks for the link. I signed up for registration so i'll be posting over there too.

danglen

Welcome Steve,

One thing you need to know about collecting ancients is that there are a LOT of counterfeits out there in the marketplace. So make sure you arm yourself with a lot of knowledge, and only deal with dealers you know have a top-notch reputation. In the ANCIENTs game, (as in numismatics in general), whoever has the most knowledge, wins!

Bruce

I have never delved into ancients, as my world, Canadian, British, U.S. collections keep me occupied.

I do know that many enjoy it however, so have fun!

rhound1977

Welcome Steve, I do not collect ancients, but I have one or two... forumancients.com as Tbirde said is a good place to start. That is
where I did get one foreign from the owner when he came to our meeting, it was a freebie

Again Welcome......