About collecting Roman and Greek coins

1234567890

I've been wanting to collect ancient Roman and Greek coins for some time now, and I have a few questions.

1. What are some good quality online sources?
2. Are uncleaned ebay lots worth it?
3. Do any of the major grading services certify them?
4. Can you sugest some albums/kits for collecting? By emperor or time period perhaps?
5. Any good books on the subject?

coachleonard

Uncleaned ebay lots certainly can, i believe, be worth it. My choice would be lots from England, which could have Claudian coins, Celtic coins, maybe even Anglo Saxon coins in the mix. As far as books, there is a 5 or 6 book series on ancients (roman, greek, general, byzantine, roman provencial,etc) put out by Wayne Sayles (i think that's the name) . Easy to read, great pictures, a lot of great information and often sold in major book chain stores.

ColinCMR

Out of curiosity I picked up an eBay lot of 10 uncleaned Roman bronzes. The first coin I identified turned out to bve an antoninianus minted under Carus, who ruled for one year and the coin is bronze with a silver wash. I payed $10 for 10. I'm sure I was just lucky, but I bet this can happen often.

1234567890

Who did you get them from?

lordmarcovan

Here is one online reference site.

The Sear books are handy to have.

Automan

This is the forum you want!

Auto

lordmarcovan

Wow! Automan!

HEY, EVERYBODY, I JUST SIGHTED AN EXTREMELY RARE YETI!

eric1509

Hello!

Nice colleting area you have choosen!

I have tryed some seller on ebay who sells lots of coins and can say that the coins I got are ok.
But most coins are from arround the 3. century (about 90 %) only a few older, but the most seller
write in the auctions that the coins are from this period. I found a few silver coins in the lots also!
I dont kow where you live but if you try coins from German, Switzerland or Austrian sellers at Ebay Germany
you can be sure to get some provincial coins in the lot. I only bought from one seller in the US, I live in Germany,
to avoid problems with the german coustoms, but these coins have been in the same condition like the coins from the other seller.
The link to Wildwings in the other post is really great! I found a lot of my coins there.
Anyway, it is a great surprise to clean them and later search and find out what it is!
Just remember these coins are 2000 years old!

Good luck

Eric

PS:

The most common letters you will find on the coins:

AVG. Augustus
AVGG(G.) Augusti (tres)
C. Caesar
CAES. Caesar
CAESS. Caesares
COS. Consul
D.N. Dominus noster
F. Filius
F(EL). Felix
IMP. Imperator
INV. Invictus
MAX. maximus
N(OB). Nobilis(simus)
N.C. Nobilissimus Caesar
PARTH. Parthicus
P.F. Pius Felix
P.M. (od. PONT.MAX) pontifex maximus
P.P. pater patriae
PRINC. (INV.) Princeps (invictus)
TR.P. (od. TRIB. POT.) tribunicia potestas


Roman currency system:

1 Quadrans = 1 Quadrans
1 Semis = 2 Quadrantes
1 As = 4 Quadrantes
1 Dupondius = 8 Quadrantes
1 Sesterzius = 16 Quadrantes
1 Halbdenarius (Silberquinar) = 32 Quadrantes
1 Denarius = 64 Quadrantes
1 Halbaureus (Goldquinar) = 800 Quadrantes
1 Aureus = 1600 Quadrantes

Askari

Welcome to this century's Forum!!