Coin Collector

Coin Collector | 35 | www.allaboutcoins.co.uk some very nice silver tetradracms of the Seleucid Kingdom can be purchased. They are certainly worth saving up for but are more suited to an established collection, rather than being something for beginners. Where should one go to purchase coins? Coin fairs are an excellent place for a beginner to get some idea of what is available and the event can be treated as a fact- finding trip with no pressure to buy a coin right away. Looking around is vital, and there is also the opportunity to ask dealers questions. Antique and Naples was a colony founded by the city state of Rhodes. This coin was struck about 430 BC – the Classical period of Greek history. The reverse shows a bull with a human face with a nymph flying overhead. Part of the inscription of the name Neapolis is between the bull’s legs. The obverse shows the head of a nymph. Note that the quality of the silver has been tested at some time as there is a cut underneath the nymph’s head. COST c. £40 A silver drachm of Alexander the Great. The reverse shows Zeus enthroned holding an eagle with hand outstretched and a sceptre in the other hand. The inscription behind the throne is ‘Alexandros’, the Greek for Alexander. On the obverse is the deified head of Alexander as the god Zeus Ammon, connecting Alexander with the Egyptian god Ammon, better known as Amun Ra. COST: c. £35 ROMAN COINS C ollecting Roman coins has been a passion of mine since my early teens when a friend gave me a tin containing a dozen Roman coins, writes Ed Archer. I was hooked. As a teenager I did not have much money to spend on coins and, like any beginner, I had to work to a budget. My collection gradually grew. Initially I bought from dealers’ lists, today I buy at coin fairs. Antique and collectors fairs are also worth attending as you can often find a dealer with some Roman coins in stock. Of course, these days there is also ebay though there is always the risk of purchasing a fake. Even some of the common Roman bronzes have been faked, especially in Bulgaria. If the coin looks too good to be true, proceed with caution. With Roman coins it’s possible both to get a bargain or end up paying too much. To avoid paying over the odds consult a catalogue and decide your budget in advance. Look carefully at the coin’s condition and use paypal whenever possible, giving you the opportunity to get your money back. The internet is an option, though nothing beats handling the coins and talking to a dealer face to face. Where to start? Perhaps the best bargains are to be had in late Roman bronze coins of the House of Constantine. Literally millions of these coins were struck across the Empire and many have mint marks, including ‘PLN’ Prima Londinium, the first mint of London. Another cheap category to collect is the billon antoniniani of the mid to late 3rd century. These coins reflect a time when the Roman Empire went through a period of profound political instability. Some examples have a good amount of silvering whereas others have hardly any silver on them at all. The coins to pursue include those of Valerian, Gallienus Claudius Gothicus, Postumus and Aurelian. Large Imperial bronzes of the 1st and 2nd century can be acquired for about £20 but do not expect anything in perfect condition. Silver coins can be collected on a shoestring but again one is not going to end up with anything spectacular for under £30 even for the most common emperors. The best silver coins to start with are those of Septimius Severus and Commodus. Coins of both emperors are often available in good condition for between £30 and £40. Good silver wash coins of Valerian, Postumus and Gordian III come into this price bracket and can make an attractive collectors fairs are similarly useful as coin dealers also attend some of these events. Finally there is the internet. Auction sites such as ebay and delcampe have a wealth of material on offer, but the beginner should proceed with caution, as forgeries do appear on many auction sites. Don’t rush in, and if a deal seems too good to be true, then perhaps it is. Instead, attend coin fairs, read up on the subject, speak to knowledgeable dealers and get your Greek coin collection started with a few of the cheaper pieces. Marble bust of the Emperor Constantine I, from Stonegate, York, c. 306, currently held at the Yorkshire Museum (image courtesy of York Museums Trust) STARTER PRICES