Second coin update, NOW posted ~ Ok, I want to purchase one ancient.......give me a short educat

coinsarefun · August 7, 2012 12:32PM

I have been wanting to pick one up for years and years and thanks to the people posting on the light side.......you know who you are

My curiosity has now come to full bloom.

Some may know that I am currently selling most of my common date light side coins and trying to create a type of Legacy Collection(if you will)

I want it to include US type coins silver and gold and the highest grade I can afford. It may only end up being a handful of coins but that is fine.

I will be including my Russian, Hungarian, US and British tokens....the tokens are going to be narrowed down to only the few that I think

will be a good investment for the long run.

Now......I want to add one Ancient. I would like it to have a great design, silver and as large as can be. Must be TONED..... nice original skin

I have no idea as to how much something like this will cost or even if its possible...........so educate me and posted examples are welcomed.

I'm all eyes and ears

Ok, after much discussion here and via PM's.......I have decided to buy 3-4 Ancients

This is the first one. I'm working on two more and searching for one last one will be a
Corinth style Stater with a Helmeted Athena on the obverse and a Pegasus as one of you posted here

Thanks for that

1) PARTHIA, Artabanus) II (10-38 A.D) Silver drachm, Ecbatana,

AR drachm, (3.3 gm, 20 mm,) Bare-headed, bearded, diademed bust of king left, wearing torque,/ King (Arsakes I?) seated right on throne, holding bow, Greek legend in 7 lines around: above: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN, at right: APCAKOY, below: EVERΓETOV / ΔIKAIOY, at left: EΠIΦANOVΣ / ΦIΛEΛΛHNOΣ, AT monogram (for Ecbatana) under bow Sellwood 63.6, Shore 343, Toned EF.

Reverse is loosely translated to:
meaning is awaiting the work of a scholar

Only lordmarcovan can take the credit for this beauty.
He is the one that pointed me to it.

Thanks The Holey of Holeys

2) Galerius, 1 March 305 - 5 May 311 A.D.

Description from website as follows:

The Sisak Hoard of more than 2000 silver argentei, most of them mint-state, plus silver vessels, was found in 1953 near Siscia (Croatia).
Still today, nearly all the high grade early argentei of the early tetrarchy on the market came from this hoard.
The deposition of the hoard can be placed in the year 295/296.

Swampboy · August 7, 2012 2:24PM

Stef, here are some of my ancients.
The large coin is silver tetradrachm of Alexander and I found this one with some toning.
Tetradrachms would fit your size requirement and there are lots of designs to choose from.

coinsarefun · August 7, 2012 2:31PM

Hi Gil,
Please tell me more about this silver tetradrachm of Alexander........
About what size is it? About a US half dollar?
Can it be found in high mint state?
Is it rare?

Swampboy · August 7, 2012 2:44PM

The tetradrachms I've seen are around 27mm and weigh around 16-17g.

There are lots of places to view these coins for sale including the VCoins Mall.
Forum member Civitas has a shop there.

Another good source for ancients I've found is Harlan Berk HJB

coinsarefun · August 7, 2012 3:21PM

<< <i>The tetradrachms I've seen are around 27mm and weigh around 16-17g.

There are lots of places to view these coins for sale including the VCoins Mall.
Forum member Civitas has a shop there.

Another good source for ancients I've found is Harlan Berk HJB >>

Thanks......that second site has some killer ones!

TheRaven · August 7, 2012 10:59PM

As a general rule there is no such thing as mint state ancients.....

ajaan · August 7, 2012 11:40PM

Given your criteria, I would say a silver tetradrachm of Alexander the Great is your best bet. If I could only own one ancient coin, it would be this one:

I would love to have a higher grade example if only I could find, and afford, one.

FilthyBroke · August 8, 2012 12:48AM

I spent the last couple of days looking through ancients. The hard part seems to be deciding on one specific topic. I love the artwork on the Roman republican coins,
but I also want a nice example of an Augustus or Julius Caesar (those two being rather expensive). Alexander the Great is a lot easier to find in acceptable condition,
and the republican coins are rather affordable in better condition.

I'd suggest spending an afternoon on VCoins, just browsing the material available. You should find what you like soon enough, and then look for the very best example
that you are willing to purchase. There are a lot of high grade ancients to be had if you don't mind paying up for them.

FilthyBroke · August 8, 2012 12:58AM

Ajaan, that's a nice one! I looked through a few of those Marc Antony denars myself, but couldn't find anything that nice for my budget.

If I could only have one ancient, it might be THIS one.

Or maybe one of THESE.

Dabigkahuna · August 8, 2012 1:00AM

I agree that an Alexander Tetradrachm would make an excellent choice. I have always considered the Corinth style Stater with a Helmeted Athena on the obverse and a Pegasus on the reverse as an outstanding ancient design as well.

JCMhouston · August 8, 2012 3:27AM

<< <i> nice original skin >>

This part of course will be nearly impossible to achieve. Many, perhaps most, ancients have been recovered from hoards buried or otherwise improperly stored for the past couple of thousand years. Those that weren't were probably nicely polished up to make them shine sometime during that period. I think the best you can really expect is to find a coin that has been well cared for over the past couple of hundred years, stored where it took on a nice light tone perhaps.

For myself if I was going to have just one ancient it would have to be Greek. I just love the artistic qualities.

TheRaven · August 8, 2012 3:32AM

The Greek coins are a bit more artist when compared to the Romans.....

I have a few Roman coins and one Greek coin.....

The Greek coins is an Athens Owl coin.....

My favorite ancient coin I have is my Caeser coin showing him crossing the Rubicon.....

Look around and enjoy it.....

lordmarcovan · August 8, 2012 7:43AM

<< <i>I have been wanting to pick one up for years and years and thanks to the people posting on the light side.......you know who you are

>>

coinsarefun · August 8, 2012 11:36AM

Thanks everyone. I now have enough information to start looking.

I will let you know how it goes.

WillieBoyd2 · August 8, 2012 12:15PM

Bought on Ebay for $6 in 2007:

Byzantine Follis Justinian I

What is really fun is to visit the place where it was made:

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=854822

coinsarefun · August 9, 2012 10:46AM

Ok, with enough info to make me dangerous to myself my first purchase is posted in original post.

Tell me what you think of it

CCC2010 · August 9, 2012 10:58AM

I Love BOTH of Them!!!

TwoKopeiki · August 9, 2012 11:23AM

I think you have bought an ancient with a ton of eye-appeal!

WillieBoyd2 · August 9, 2012 11:32AM

Nice Parthian coin.

I have a few from that area of the world.

Parthian coins are not as well known as Roman or Greek,
but Parthia has some interesting coins.

Swampboy · August 9, 2012 11:49AM

Interesting piece.
Congrats on #1.

<< <i>meaning is awaiting the work of a scholar >>

It ain't waitin' on me.

JCMhouston · August 9, 2012 1:27PM

Very nice, I had a fairly complete set of the Parthian kings back in the late 80's when I lived in the UK. I still think they are undervalued, that's a good start.

coinsarefun · August 9, 2012 2:33PM

Second one posted

lordmarcovan · August 9, 2012 2:50PM

That Sisak Hoard Galerius piece knocks my sox off.

Of course that's why I pointed it out to you.

Congratulations on some real beauties.

TheRaven · August 9, 2012 11:36PM

Nice and very neat.....

Pokermandude · August 10, 2012 3:50AM

I'd say you're off to a great start

Muygrandeoso · August 10, 2012 4:28AM

WOW! A couple of great newps. Congrats.

Chris

coinsarefun · August 10, 2012 2:04PM

Thanks again everyone for the nice comments.
My third one does not come up for auction for a few more weeks
so we have to see if I am lucky with that one.

If I am lucky to win I will post it as I think its a real winner

Swampboy · August 10, 2012 3:20PM

O.K.
I'm now subscribed to this thread.
Can't wait to see #3 and possibly learn more.
I sure increased my knowledge of Parthia thanks to this thread.

CertifiedGoldCoins · August 10, 2012 3:21PM

Good luck with your collection. I've collected just about everything at one time or another, and kept a few of my favorite ancients HERE. Short education? OK, since you asked: while many US collectors are interested only with grading, those who collect ancients do so because of the history associated with the coins they own.

coinsarefun · September 8, 2012 12:50PM

Finally had some time to image my first ancient.

The first image is the sellers image and the second one is mine. IMO mine is more accurate in color and is not as bright as sellers image.
I actualy like it very much

BS · September 9, 2012 10:31AM

Very cool coins, both have really nice eye appeal.

~~Second coin update, NOW posted ~~~ Ok, I want to purchase one ancient.......give me a short educat

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Second coin update, NOW posted ~ Ok, I want to purchase one ancient.......give me a short educat