Numism > Help For the New Ancient Coin Collector

How (and why) do you collect Ancient Coins

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Virgil H:
Hi Tracy and Stkp,

Sorry for delay in responding. I love both of your comments. All three of us seem to be on a very similar page. Some coins just speak to me and I want them. Others I want to fill a void of some kind and, perhaps unfortunately, my historical interests keep getting deeper as I learn more. For example, I have taken both of the ANS Lyceum courses, one on Greek and the other on Roman. In the Roman course, I learned how little I actually knew about Roman history. My expansion of that knowledge is driving new desires for coins I never looked at before.

I love that woodblock print quote. I have one 19th century print that is among my prize possessions. I can certainly see collecting them. I recently bought an oil lamp from Forum. My wife supports my coin obsession and she appreciates it and gets the wonder of holding something that is so old. I got the lamp for her and she loves it. Of course, I also wanted it, but I wanted to basically get her something, if that makes sense.

I love the phrase, "omnivorous collecting interests." Perfect. Also, Stkp, I love your Elymais gallery. I am drooling over it and I am heading in that direction as a mini-specialty. The coins are beautiful. You said that a lot came on the market a few years ago. Perhaps that explains the relatively low prices. Plus, it is a place that is quite out of the way for many collectors. I find them very worth collecting.

Thanks to both of you. I would love to hear from some of the specialists, too, as to why they are so specialized. Any way of collecting is good as far as I am concerned.

Regards,
Virgil

Stkp:

--- Quote from: Virgil H on August 11, 2021, 07:08:47 pm ---I love the phrase, "omnivorous collecting interests." Perfect. Also, Stkp, I love your Elymais gallery. I am drooling over it and I am heading in that direction as a mini-specialty. The coins are beautiful. You said that a lot came on the market a few years ago. Perhaps that explains the relatively low prices. Plus, it is a place that is quite out of the way for many collectors. I find them very worth collecting.

--- End quote ---

Thank you, Virgil. It is always nice to know that one's gallery -- and coins, of course -- are appreciated by others. I hope you enjoy the new mini-specialty (and many others as well, over time). Stkp

Derek S2:
Why do i collect? For me its about holding the coin and let my mind imagine the passing of time, the hands it moved through, the years it laid covered and hidden, how the passage of time may have dulled it, eroded it but it still exists.

Virgil H:
Derek S2,
I 100% agree with you. Ancient coins for me a a way to connect with the past, a very affordable way Thanks for your response.

Virgil

Wayne S:
I'm a newb here and not used to the procedures and protocols on this website.

Why do I collect ancient coins?  Well, when serving in the Army during the mid-1960s I had an opportunity of traveling through Turkey and in particular the ancient ruins at Ephesus when visiting the city of Izmir. Imagine my surprise when seeing a coin for sale from Ionia, Ephesus showing the top surface of a bee on the obverse with two stags on the reverse. It was just thrilling to be holding this coin, minted in and around 300 BC from an area where I had once walked the streets.

This started my interest in ancient coins and from there, I have been purchasing inexpensive coins from a variety of sources plus "uncleaned coins." My experience with cleaning ancient coins has brought mixed results, some have turned out very well but recently I ruined a Julia Domna coin due to my lack of patience and experience.

I love holding a little bit of history in my hands and like the above post don't care to purchase coins in plastic slabs. I want to hold the coin, not a piece of plastic.
Wayne

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