Australian Members and Collectors of Ancient Coins

[OldMoney]

I was asked this question by a friend, and also wondering
about it myself, but how many others here on FORVM are
from the land Down Under - Australia?

I have seen a few people post questions about this 'Great
Southern Land', but how many of you are here?

An additional FYI for Sydney-siders, and those visiting Sydney,
there are two places you probably need to be made aware of,
if you do not know already:

1) ACANS
The Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies.
http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/research/centres_and_groups/acans/

2) ASAN
The Australian Society for Ancient Numismatics.
Meetings held on the fourth Monday of the month.

Do any of you Aussies have meetings in your local area?

Let us know a little about you - or just say 'hi'.

Walter Holt

[spinkpa]

G'day from Perth!

Some years ago I used to flit between AU cities and always made a point of visiting numismatic locations- even transferred to SE Qld for a few years- but I don't travel as much now and haven't been in Sydney for about 10 years.

I acquired most of my collection from B&M shops in the '80s and early '90s. There were some real bargains to be had in those days. Most of the local dealers knew a lot about bullion or moderns, especially AU, but were lost when it came to the ancients they'd occasionally pick up from ex-servicemen and the like. Sadly most of them have vanished now.

The PNS (Perth Numismatic Society) meets monthly and has several members who collect ancients. At least some are aware of this site though I also wonder whether any are regular visitors/customers here?

Ancients offered at the meetings are a bit sporadic; The PNS fairs held every 2-3 months in South Perth usually offer some good shopping.

I live about as far from Forvm as it's possible to be, without being an astronaut. This last year I finally became a Forvm customer, picking up some nice coins- and experiencing Joe's superb service- in a couple of orders just before the AUD started tanking. I never thought, when I started collecting in the early '70s, that I'd be buying with such confidence from a vendor so far away, who I'd probably never have even heard of were it not for this excellent wehsite. How collecting has changed!

Anyone else living near Perth?

Cheers,

Paul Spink

[Platon]

I have a coin in my collection attributed to the Colin E. Pitchfork collection, I believe he was involved with the Numismatic Association of Australia.

[Gilgamesh]

Guilty as charged. Grew up in Sydney. Live in Melbourne - and the bush near Kyneton. Collected Roman Republican for the past 36 years.

[Sap]

Another Australian here, Brisbane area. Secretary of the Queensland Numismatic Society and member of the Australian Numismatic Society, Qld branch. They're both "general" numismatic societies; I'm the only one that routinely brings along ancient coins for the monthly show-n-tell sessions.

[Merinda]

Another convict here  ...

I have a coin in my collection attributed to the Colin E. Pitchfork collection, I believe he was involved with the Numismatic Association of Australia.

I'll think you'll find Colin is still very much active, and working for Noble Numismatics

Allan

[Enodia]

unfortunately i've never visited Australia or New Zealand, but i sure do love the music... The Easybeats, Split Enz, Hoodoo Gurus, The Divinyls (if only for that one song     ), early INXS, etc.

i did work in a restaurant in San Francisco some 40 years ago called The Downunder, named because it was below street level and not out of any awareness of the expression. when someone finally told the owners they went out and got a kangaroo statue and a wall map of the southern hemisphere and became an Australian restaurant overnight!
i really miss the Coopers though.

sorry, carry on,
~ Peter

[n.igma]

unfortunately i've never visited Australia or New Zealand, but i sure do love the music...  Split Enz,

If an Australian said this it would be cause for a declaration of war by those across the Tasman Sea ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split_Enz

But being a US citizen they'll probably forgive you provided you agree with them on the origins of the Pavlova    http://travel.ninemsn.com.au/airnewzealand/8435774/who-owns-the-pavlova-new-zealand-or-australia

In memory of she who touched herself.....  http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/melbourne-puts-rock-icon-chrissy-amphlett-on-the-map-20150218-13i9jv.html  Chrissy was a class act and a great talent in every respect!

You have very refined taste in quality music and beer.

[Enodia]

In memory of she who touched herself.....  http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/melbourne-puts-rock-icon-chrissy-amphlett-on-the-map-20150218-13i9jv.html  Chrissy was a class act and a great talent in every respect!

how sad, i had no idea she had passed. a nice tribute though.

If an Australian said this it would be cause for a declaration of war by those across the Tasman Sea ...

lol! Split Enz is the reason i included New Zealand in the opener!  
it's too bad America has never really picked up on the music from Downunder, but outside of the BeeGees and AC/DC (born out of The Easybeats, btw), it goes largely ignored.
i worked in a record store in the 80's and one of the distributor sample albums we got in was called Maiden Australia, featuring all Aussie bands. the cover showed a globe with a pair of ruby slippers nailed to the bottom, and to this day i still think you guys all walk around with nails in your shoes.  

sittin' on the top of the world,
~ Peter

[n.igma]

... the cover showed a globe with a pair of ruby slippers nailed to the bottom, and to this day i still think you guys all walk around with nails in your shoes.  

sittin' on the top of the world,

 

...... Travelling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said:

"Do you come from a land down under
Where women glow and men plunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder
You better run, you better take cover."


And yes, the Anonymous N. comes from the land down under! And many on this board seem to think he wears hobnail boots!  

[n.igma]

Another convict here  ...

I have a coin in my collection attributed to the Colin E. Pitchfork collection, I believe he was involved with the Numismatic Association of Australia.

I'll think you'll find Colin is still very much active, and working for Noble Numismatics

Also: Coins from Asia Minor and the East: Selections from the Colin E. Pitchfork Collection. Ancient Coins in Australian Collections Volume Two. Nicholas L. Wright ed. Australian Centre for Ancient Numismatic Studies 2011.

[Daniel R6]

Another Aussie here, though now living abroad (and rarely contributing to but regularly stalking the forum!).

[Arados]

It's too bad America has never really picked up on the music from Downunder, but outside of the BeeGees and AC/DC (born out of The Easybeats, btw), it goes largely ignored.

If i am not mistaken Peter, the Bee Gees were actually born on the Isle of Man later moving to Manchester where they formed the Rattlesnakes. It was only then that they pursued their careers "Down Under".

Lets not get into where most of the original members of ACDC were born before heading south. 

[Gilgamesh]

Not sure if you're correct about the Bee Gees. I remember them as being extremely young when they debuted on Australian TV very late 50’s - early 60’s. Think that was before they returned to Manchester, could be wrong. The Easybeats were also young immigrants and formed at the Villawood Hostel early 60’s (just over our back fence back then). My younger brother formed a band with others there at the same time and they only stopped performing a few years ago (with their kids included). The hostel still houses immigrants but these days we imprison them to show how we believe in our national spirit of “fair go”. Wasn’t much better back then. Corrugated iron semicircular huts, unlined, no air conditioning in a hot climate, no infrastructure (one shop), few jobs, low wages. We remember it as the “good old days”, but everyone was very keen to work their way out and escape (still are) and forming a rock band was one possible way of doing it. Some of us even collected coins and used to meet and compare. Also wander along to the Coca Cola Bottlers Club when it was in the surrounding area. Present your collection and get a free bottle of coke. We used to split our collections, multi-cue, then stagger home with multiple bottles. True confession.
 
Nice to know of other collectors here and on Forum. Anyone do RRC?

[Arados]

Not sure if you're correct about the Bee Gees. I remember them as being extremely young when they debuted on Australian TV very late 50’s - early 60’s. Think that was before they returned to Manchester, could be wrong.

Fair dinkum, they did of course form the Bee Gees down under in 1958 but they still moved to Manchester before heading south. 

[Gilgamesh]

Thanks. Nice to get that clear. Do you know how long they were in Australia? I don't recall it being more than a couple of years.

[Arados]

Thanks. Nice to get that clear. Do you know how long they were in Australia? I don't recall it being more than a couple of years.

I think this will answer all of questions. 

http://www.brothersgibb.org/history.html

[Gilgamesh]

Thanks. That revives the memory somewhat.

[Pharsalos]

I'll add myself to the list, from sunny Brisbane.

[Banjaxed]

I'm a Melbournian, a complete novice coin collector with no interest in modern coins, and often, I feel a bit alone in all this. This forum is my only contact with the numismatic world (I know I know, the world's smallest violin etc).

Anyone here know of anything ancient coin related happening in Melbs? Are there people I should be talking to? Places I should be going? Any recommendations?

Good to know that I'm not totally on my own and that there are fellow antipodeans around!

[Gilgamesh]

Wish I could tell you about all the things happening here in Melbourne - but they aren't. You could visit the Ian Potter gallery at Melbourne University to see a good collection of ancient coins. I actually never have. I have the RR catalog of the collection and have my own copies of everything in it. Add that to consistent procrastination = no visit. I.S. Wrights store in Lonsdale street is worth a visit for ancients. Not all are on display, so ask. Friendly people. Downies in the Block Arcade don't have much anymore and are in the process of moving to Southbank. Wright's and Downie's have regular auctions that include ancients. Both are very reputable. The State Library is well stocked with related books and journals. Melbourne Uni doesn't have much - but they do have Thomsen's Early Roman Coinage on the shelf. There is also the NAV (Numismatic Association of Victoria). Haven't had any contact with them for many years (they were very old-fashioned at the time and didn't even want to Incorporate - a legal worry). Things will have changed, no doubt. They run the odd Coin fair during the year, usually advertized in the paper and meet monthly. A quick Google will find the site. Melbourne Museum has a passable collection of ancients, but it is rare for anything to be on display and the Curator is now a volunteer. About it, I think. Hope some of this is useful. Are you collecting ancients generally or do you have a particular area of interest?

Ted

[Banjaxed]

Thanks for that Ted! I'll check out all of the above and see about membership of the libraries you mentioned.

I have just started collecting coins and its ancients or nothing for me at the moment. I started with some uncleaned lots from Crustyromans and have worked out the kinds of things I like from that. I love the artistry of the Ancient Greek stuff but I am frustrated (at the moment: i'm learning) by the lack of legends, or the Greek alphabet. I enjoy the detective work of attribution and I take great pleasure in learning about the ancient world as I go.

I was fortunate enough to get in one lot of uncleaned no fewer than 4 viminacium Moesia superior Bull and Lion sesterces; Volusian and Herrenia Etruscilla in very nice condition, Gordian in a condition that, whilst not as good a nick as the first two was immediately identifiable, and a final mystery coin which I'm hoping will clean up as Hostillian. This led me to do a bit of research in that area and I fell for the drama of that period. i then made my first purchase of coins from forum- a Phillip and a trebonius Gallus. It feels good to know what you want.

I also found a beautiful coin from Pontus under Mithradates IV whom after researching i consider a rather underrated historical figure- so coins of his I'm quite keen on.

For all that I still can't beat the thrill of the chase- a notepad, a magnifier, an ancient roman coin, half a legend, the 'attribution toolkit' on forum ancient coins and my copy of Aorta. Bliss. it would be nice to make contact with the real world of numismatics outside the forum, so thanks again for the pointers Ted.

[gallienus1]

Hi Walter!

Hope to see you in Sydney soon!

Did not see this thread or I would have posted sooner. It is wonderful how music has the power to bring the world together. As a Seekers fan I can only say in the words of Australia's most loved pop music critic (although he was never very critical!) Molly Meldrum-if you have never heard of The Seekers "do yourself a favour" and look them up on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsIbfYEizLk

Best regards,
Steve