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Ancient Coins - Newb Question

AllLincolnsAllLincolns Posts: 57 ✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
OK,
I was thinking it might be cool to have a few ancient Greek and Roman coins just for fun to look at and show my kids - just something common, but really old. Thought about one of those 'grab bags' of "UNCLEANED, UNSEARCHED!!!!!!!!" coins off of ebay, but don't want to get scammed by a bag of fakes or coins so crappy they are just metal disks with no detail. Any thoughts where I could get a handlful of coins for a reasonable price just for fun? Not looking to collect or for 'resale value'...

Thanks for any feedback!

Dan
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

- Abraham Lincoln

Comments

  • FilthyBrokeFilthyBroke Posts: 3,518 ✭

    I dabbled in ancients for a short time too, and found the most satisfaction by finding a few better quality pieces on sites like VCoins. There are some nice examples of more common issues available for relatively little money, and the security of buying from reputable dealers is nice to have.
  • JCMhoustonJCMhouston Posts: 5,306 ✭✭✭
    I'm with Filthy on this one. There are a huge number of fakes out there, you can buy common, but fairly high grade, ancients from reputable dealers for very little money, I'd go that route. Have a look at Bermans site http://www.bermania.com/ , also Pegasionline.com , although they normally carry more expensive items they often have some very inexpensive things. And I think if you talk to Berman and let him know how much you want to spend he will put together a little bag for you.
    JCM-Houston
    World Collection
    British Collection
    German States Collection
  • SapyxSapyx Posts: 2,517 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>...Thought about one of those 'grab bags' of "UNCLEANED, UNSEARCHED!!!!!!!!" coins off of ebay... >>


    I'd recommend staying away from those. Most are overhyped accumulations of trash that have already been picked over a dozen times by eyes that are much more experienced than yours or mine. You might find something nice that everyone else missed, but you're more likely to wind up with a pile of "slugs". Especially avoid anyone that says "some of our buyers have found gold, and you might, too". They're just plain lying. You also need a lot of time and patience to turn a rock-like uncleaned coin into something identifiable.

    I'd recommend, for the same amount of money you'd spend on a bunch of uncleaneds, to instead buy a few cheap coins that have already been cleaned and identified. You don't get the "thrill of discovery" but your coins will at least look like coins.

    FORVM Ancient Coins currently has over 600 coins for sale for under $40.
    Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.
    Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

    Apparently I have been awarded the DPOTD twice. B)
  • AllLincolnsAllLincolns Posts: 57 ✭✭✭
    Thanks to everyone for the great advice! I appreciate it!
    Dan
    "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

    - Abraham Lincoln
  • SaorAlbaSaorAlba Posts: 7,593 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There are several reputable sellers of filthy Romans on Vcoins. A few years ago during the very brief period my son was interested in coins I bought one for him, we cleaned it, identified it and it was interesting. But didn't overtake his interest in females apparently. Curiously only one of my daughters have any interests in coins - my six year old absolutely goes crazy over anything monetary and has quite the collection going from her travels around the world etc.
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