Play the Game!

[mikepellerin]

Before the Internet, The FORVM and WildWinds, I only had old Mail-Bid Catalogs to rely upon for coin ID's. I could never afford any of the RIC's, and my local Library would only order and hold them a few days. I finally got a Van Meter, and even though it was new back then, it was still lacking in the "visual" department.

So I began playing an ID game when my new Catalogs would come in. Without looking at the attributions I tried to see if I could ID the coins by portrait. After a successful ID I would cross-ref with my Van Meter to make sure the attribution was correct  (like Stephen M. Huston, Wayne G. Sayles or Pegasi Coins would be wrong!).

I got pretty good at it.

Now here's my current game. Everytime The FORVM loads a new page it seems to put a new collection at the top and bottom of the page. Before I cursor over them, I try to see what I can identify first. Try it for a few weeks...you'll be surprised at what you learn even from the series/coins you don't specialize in!

  Mike 

[Molinari]

Hi Mike,  That's an interesting game you play.  I too have found that comparing portraits is the best initial step in identifying coins.  With Roman coins, I'll flip through a reference or catalogue, and once I find a portrait that is very similar, I'll begin my online search to narrow down the attribution.  I've had enormous success identifying coins this way. 

-Nich