Does anyone else here collect ancient coins, Roman, Greek, or otherwise? Just curious since I’ve been doing so for about a year and a half now and just attributed my 200th Roman bronze.
I collect almost exclusively Roman bronzes and have a great deal of fun with the hobby, especially unclean pieces…I’ve managed to accumulate about ten Greek coins and ten Byzantine but I know much less about them.
Just thought I’d ask,
Chris
I don’t collect them…but I have thought for quite a while of purchasing one for a necklace pendant. I’m leaning toward Athena with the owl on the flip side…but I have yet to buy one. I’ve also thought about getting a Marcus Aurelius coin…simply because I’ve read his meditations and really enjoyed them.
What’s your favorite, or most prized coin?? You should post a picture so we can all go ooooooh aaaaaaaaah !
I think the Athenian Owl tetradrachms are quite cool…one would certainly make a nice necklace. When you do buy one, just get it from a trustworthy source as they tend to be counterfeited with frequency. I don’t have an Owl tet or a Marcus Aurelius piece simply because both are quite expensive. At the local museum (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), there is a period necklace made out of thirteen different gold Antonine aureii. I will have to get a picture and post it…it is an amazing piece of Roman jewelry.
Okay…I can’t resist the desire to show off a part of my collection. 
Most of my coins are fairly common pieces simply because the hobby can be an expensive venture (trying to build your own “Twelve Caesars” set can bankrupt you on Julius alone). So, I put together coins based on themes. My favorite theme comes right out of the Historia Augusta Gordiani Tres. I find that the story of Gordian III is just so very Hollywood. …A young boy is made Caesar by the will of the people alone…now, he must kill the cruel barbarian giant Maximinus Thrax…and avoid his eventual death by poisoning at the hands of Philip the Arab.
So, here is a silver denarius of Maximinus Thrax (obv. legend reads MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM, rev. is PROVIDENTIA AVG), a provincial dupondius of Gordian III (obv. is IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, rev. is P M S COL VIM AN I), and a provincial sestersius of Philip the Arab (obv. is IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, rev. is P M S COL VIM AN VII). These three are my favorites. The denarius was minted in Rome and bears the figure of Providence on the back holding a wand over a globe and a cornucopia. The woman on the back of the provincials is the female representation of Moesia Superior (they were minted in Viminacium) standing in between a bull on the left and a lion on the right).
Chris
Ooooooh Aaaaaaaah…very cool!
Nice looking coins. I have been mulling around with buying some for quite some time…but right now my extra cash is going to cigars! I think I’m gonna buy a box of Curly Head Deluxe with the maduro wrapper…it’s a solid smoke with a great price, they are moist and smooth. Mmmmmmmm.
I hear ya…nothing does the job like a maduro cigar!
Hi Chris and Matt.
I collect ancient coins but I only have for less than a year. It can be a very addictive hobby if you are an ancient history buff. Below is my Marcus Aurelius denarius, since you guys were discussing him.
Brian
Really nice piece Brian…and the silver is toning beautifully. I’m jealous!
Chris
Nice coin. You mind me asking how much you paid for it???
That be a perfect piece for a nice necklace, but I’m guessing it might be a little too valuable for one.
Thanks Chris. I like your coins too. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of them.
Matt, I believe it was around $200-225 usd. You could probably shop around for awhile and find similiar for less though. Also, as Chris said, if you do buy a coin, you really should buy from a reputable dealer.
For those who don’t know about it already, hobbyblog is devoted to ancient coins.