1. The profusion of
rare varieties in ancient coinage is so immense, that it is impossible for any
collection, public or private, to attain completeness in any larger
field. There are hundreds of unique or almost unique variants, with new ones emerging all the time, so it's impossible for one
collection to grab ALL of them!
2. Because of this profusion of
rarities, it is relatively easy for a private collector to amass a numismatically important
collection, one that contains large numbers of very
rare coins, some totally unpublished, and many missing in even the best public
collections.
3.
Money matters! A great
collection should be characterized not only by an impressive array of
rarities, but by the best obtainable condition for every coin, and it should include the expensive
denominations, for example
aurei, quinarii, and medallions, as well as the everyday ones.
4. Important
collections can sink virtually without a trace if they are dispersed on
eBay or though the dealer on the corner by the heirs, so PUBLISH YOUR
COLLECTION! Write your own book, create a website, make your
collection known to academics who are compiling catalogues, consult with a numismatically active museum that you could bequeath the
collection to, or make sure the heirs
consign the
collection to a competent firm who can record it in a
good printed
catalogue!
