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Author Topic: Here I go. Into a new hobby.  (Read 3984 times)

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Offline Mark R1

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Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« on: March 16, 2019, 08:14:27 pm »
Hello everyone. I’m going to start collecting some coins. I’m an ancient history buff and think it will add to my enjoyment and give me some hands on fun to add to my reading.

I’ve decided a few things about what and how I will collect and I know this will change overtime.

Here are my self imposed rules and guidlnes to start my collecting.

1. I’ll try to stick with mostly ancient Greek coins and try to concentrate on coins from the classical period. I have an attraction to Roman coins as well but for now I’m going to start with Ancient Greece. It’s pretty wide area as it is. I especially want to learn more about Asia Minor. I’ve been to Turkey, Greece and Italy. I want to collect areas that remind me of my travels.

2. I’m going to attempt to only collect strong images that appeal to me. Nice images and good condition. Quality over quantity.

3. For now I’m going to buy just from Joseph. I like having a forum to discuss things and ask for advice. I appreciate that he’s spent the time to offer this great resource.

I’ve purchased 6 coins from Joseph but 4 were yesterday and I should get them this week. I’ll show some pictures once I figure out how to post them later.

Thanks for reading. I’m very open to suggestions!

Mark

Offline JBF

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2019, 08:45:02 pm »
Welcome,
I would suggest Wayne Sayles books on Ancient Coin Collecting.  The first is a general one on ancient coins, and the second one in the series is on Greek.  David Sear's book, is out of date as far as prices are concerned, but is a good general reference.

One thing that Sayles suggest is that !0% of your hobby expenditures should be on books.  I have never paid attention to how much of my expenditure is on books, but I have definitely not neglected that aspect.

And now you can say, "It's Greek to me!"

welcome to the hobby.

Offline Mark R1

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2019, 09:11:47 pm »
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll purchase it.


Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2019, 09:44:33 pm »
Sounds like you're making some good decisions to start with.  The difficulty is sticking to the plan!  :)

Offline Kamnaskires

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2019, 09:46:54 pm »
I’ve decided a few things about what and how I will collect

Very smart - and somewhat unusual for a newbie. Many ancients collectors, including me, started out by picking up anything old, interesting, and affordable. Nothing wrong with that, of course. But I think setting parameters - geographic, thematic, iconographic...whatever - makes collecting more challenging and, therefore, perhaps more rewarding. Focused collecting can potentially lead to important collections down the line too. Asia Minor will prove a fertile area for your collecting. You may opt to narrow things down even a bit more over time: Cappadocia, Phrygia, Paphlagonia, Lycia, Mysia, etc. So many great options.

Welcome to the hobby.

Offline PMah

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2019, 11:07:59 pm »
That's a very reasonable plan.  I fully subscribe to the "buy the book before the coin" theory, but you don't always have to buy.   There's a lot of online learning, including some out-of-copyright pdfs on the Resource section of this site.  Just don't go too deep on those yet, as they can be outdated as well.  But they are fine for overviews.  Local libraries often have surprisingly decent collecting books as well.
   My additional two cents is not to go crazy with equipment and accessories.  Good acid-free flips , a decent magnifying glass, a box or album, and a basic spreadsheet or database are all you need to start.  Most of the other stuff can wait until you figure your storage and display preferences.  If you are buying from Forum, their flips are good long-term.
Be Well, Stay Healthy, Support your Local Numismatic Club

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Offline Tracy Aiello

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2019, 02:37:19 pm »
Hello Mark,

You've received lots of good advice. I still consider myself a green-greenhorn after almost two years. Like you I set parameters around my collecting and I tried to dovetail those parameters with some of my historical interests, e.g. the challenges facing Aurelian (270 to 275 AD) with the Palmyrene empire, as well as various periods during the Sasanian empire. Yet I have left room (and money) for straying off topic. I've done that several times because I see a coin that in one way or another speaks to me or that I simply find beautiful. When that happens I look at it as yet another historical era into which I can dive.

Balancing coins with buying books, going to the library, and online learning (which is nice because it is generally free) can be key. Sometimes I enjoy "collecting" the books and the numismatic/historical articles as much as finding and purchasing the coins. In addition to the books by Wayne Sayles and David Sear you might also consider the applicable volume of the Handbook of Greek Coinage series, by the Classical Numismatic Group. Go to Numiswiki on Forvm and type HGC in the search box.

I believe that ultimately this hobby should make you happy, so be sure to have fun with it.

Tracy

Offline Tracy Aiello

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2019, 02:42:08 pm »
I forgot to mention: buying from a reputable dealer whom you trust is key. Forvm is a great place from which to buy and start building your collection.

Tracy

Offline Mark R1

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2019, 08:33:29 am »
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and good suggestions!

I’ve been having fun reading and viewing all the really interesting coins. I’ll post a photo of my first purchases later this week.

I have a question. Do dealers ever offer coins that can be traced to specific hoards found by archeologists or amature treasure hunters? I assume most of these finds end up in museums.
 
Mark

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2019, 08:42:00 am »
If a coin can be traced to a specific hoard, and the dealer knows, it will be included in the description. Coins found in England are more likely to have find information.
Joseph Sermarini
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Offline Tracy Aiello

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2019, 08:48:53 am »
Mark,

In Forvm's shop there is a section for hoards. It's under Themes & Provenance, Provenance.

Tracy

Offline Tacitus

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Re: Here I go. Into a new hobby.
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2019, 01:06:11 pm »
There are a LOT of free websites where you can attribute coins.

I also recommend the Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coins (ERIC) as a reference as well. 

Members such as Helvetica have excellent spreadsheets.

Finally, welcome to the Forum.

 

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