Which SNG is tops?

[acv]

If you could have only one set which one would you choose and why?

[esnible]

When you buy a reference set look for 1) quoted by the people you buy coins from 2) has a lot of coins of the cities you are interested in 3) good photos of good coins.

The two SNG sets I see most often and plan to buy are SNG Copenhagen and SNG von Aulock.  Copenhagen is far more complete (22,012 coins) and coverage of the entire Greek world.  It is also in English.

Von Aulock has 8739 coins and is in German.  It only covers Asia Minor.  Unlike Copenhagen, the VA coins were sold at auction and still show up occasionally for sale.

Unfortunately I haven't found it possible to buy these on the installment plan.  I've instead been buying SNG ANS and SNG British Museum as volumes come out.

If you mean individual volumes, I would love to get SNG Levante.  It is a single volume SNG (plus supplement).  I've never seen it for sale, though.  It only covers Cilicia.

SNG volumes don't have any text other than basic descriptions of the coins pictured.  Lately I have been spending my money on books with more written substance.

[acv]

When you buy a reference set look for 1) quoted by the people you buy coins from 2) has a lot of coins of the cities you are interested in 3) good photos of good coins.

The two SNG sets I see most often and plan to buy are SNG Copenhagen and SNG von Aulock.  Copenhagen is far more complete (22,012 coins) and coverage of the entire Greek world.  It is also in English.

Von Aulock has 8739 coins and is in German.  It only covers Asia Minor.  Unlike Copenhagen, the VA coins were sold at auction and still show up occasionally for sale.

Unfortunately I haven't found it possible to buy these on the installment plan.  I've instead been buying SNG ANS and SNG British Museum as volumes come out.

If you mean individual volumes, I would love to get SNG Levante.  It is a single volume SNG (plus supplement).  I've never seen it for sale, though.  It only covers Cilicia.

SNG volumes don't have any text other than basic descriptions of the coins pictured.  Lately I have been spending my money on books with more written substance.

Thanks for the information.  This leads me to one more question: Is there a single place where the contents of the different SNG's are kept?  Or do I need to see which ones are cited most often for the coins I am most interested in?

[Severus_Alexander]

I'd agree that SNG Cop and SNG VA are the ones I use most.  

You are correct that you first need to know where the coins you are going to collect come from and then purchase from there.  First and foremost, get a copy of Ancient Coin Reference Review by Dennis Kroh and see what is recommended for each area.   It's a little dated but a super book for the value.

Thank you.

[esnible]

The British SNGs can be viewed online (kinda -- search engine interface) at http://www-cm.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/coins/sng/

Buy the book Severus_Alexander recommends.  It is $25 and will save you much more than that in mistakes-not-made.  It reviews coin reference, including SNG volume, by region.  (An SNG series that is great if you collection Egyptian might be terrible if you collect Siciliy, for example).