Collecting Roman Coins on a Budget

If you want this to be a periodic post, google it up every Sunday night.

Roman coins are often collected by assembling a portrait set of emperors.
Here are some thoughts on ways to make a portrait set more affordable:

- Don't limit yourself to one denomination or metal. Quite often a ruler's
coins are rare in one denomination or metal, and common as dirt in another.
A mixed set of silver and bronze ancients can be surprisingly pleasing to
the eye.

- Give provincial coins a chance. Some rulers are rare in Roman Imperial
coinage, but not in provincial coinage. If you don't mind Greek
inscriptions, you can collect those rulers without breaking the bank. This
option is especially useful for usurpers who had their heyday outside of
Italy.

- Can you live without a portrait? Some rulers' portraits will present you
with a serious supply and demand dilemma, yet you can find reasonably priced
coins struck under their rule if you don't mind an allegorical design or a
representation of a deity instead of the emperor's portrait. Julius Caesar
is a great example.

- A last resort: make some rules that exclude the rulers you can't afford.
For example, when I was working on a portrait set from Julius Caesar through
Severus Alexander, I excluded anyone who did not exclusively rule the empire
for a minimum of twelve months.

Even when price isn't an issue, these same rules of flexibility can offer
you a greater variety of coins to choose from.

Eric

There is a non portrait Julius Caesar coin currently available through
VCoins (can't remember which shop), and its only $50. Although its in low
grade but the design is still istantly identifiable (Its the one with the
elephant).

Mame

"The Fausts" wrote in message
gy.com...
If you want this to be a periodic post, google it up every Sunday night.


Roman coins are often collected by assembling a portrait set of emperors.
Here are some thoughts on ways to make a portrait set more affordable:

- Don't limit yourself to one denomination or metal. Quite often a ruler's
coins are rare in one denomination or metal, and common as dirt in
another.
A mixed set of silver and bronze ancients can be surprisingly pleasing to
the eye.

- Give provincial coins a chance. Some rulers are rare in Roman Imperial
coinage, but not in provincial coinage. If you don't mind Greek
inscriptions, you can collect those rulers without breaking the bank. This
option is especially useful for usurpers who had their heyday outside of
Italy.

- Can you live without a portrait? Some rulers' portraits will present you
with a serious supply and demand dilemma, yet you can find reasonably
priced
coins struck under their rule if you don't mind an allegorical design or a
representation of a deity instead of the emperor's portrait. Julius Caesar
is a great example.

- A last resort: make some rules that exclude the rulers you can't afford.
For example, when I was working on a portrait set from Julius Caesar
through
Severus Alexander, I excluded anyone who did not exclusively rule the
empire
for a minimum of twelve months.

Even when price isn't an issue, these same rules of flexibility can offer
you a greater variety of coins to choose from.

Eric

Eric wrote:

"If you want this to be a periodic post, google it up every Sunday night.

Roman coins are often collected by assembling a portrait set of emperors.
Here are some thoughts on ways to make a portrait set more affordable:

- Don't limit yourself to one denomination or metal. Quite often a ruler's
coins are rare in one denomination or metal, and common as dirt in another. A
mixed set of silver and bronze ancients can be surprisingly pleasing to the
eye.

- Give provincial coins a chance. Some rulers are rare in Roman Imperial
coinage, but not in provincial coinage. If you don't mind Greek inscriptions,
you can collect those rulers without breaking the bank. This option is
especially useful for usurpers who had their heyday outside of
Italy.

- Can you live without a portrait? Some rulers' portraits will present you with
a serious supply and demand dilemma, yet you can find reasonably priced coins
struck under their rule if you don't mind an allegorical design or a
representation of a deity instead of the emperor's portrait. Julius Caesar is a
great example.

- A last resort: make some rules that exclude the rulers you can't afford. For
example, when I was working on a portrait set from Julius Caesar through
Severus Alexander, I excluded anyone who did not exclusively rule the empire
for a minimum of twelve months.

Even when price isn't an issue, these same rules of flexibility can offer you a
greater variety of coins to choose from."


Great suggestions! Thanks!



Anka

On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 19:35:27 GMT, "The Fausts"
wrote:

A last resort: make some rules that exclude the rulers you can't afford.

This is good advice. One of the great things about collecting ancient
coins is the flexibility like this. You can do similar things with
U.S. coinage -- create minisets and so on that you define yourself.
But you don't have quite the same possibilities.

With Roman coins, I have a little House of Constantine bronze set --
cheap! g And another even smaller set of Constantine the Great
barbarous bronzes, equally affordable.

--

Email: (delete "remove this")

Consumer: http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

Good advice. Wasn't there just a guy in the celator who collector the 12
Caesars for under $1000 using some of your advice (Provincials and non
portraits)?

I'm to lazy to go track down that issue.

"Jorg Lueke" wrote in message
news
Good advice. Wasn't there just a guy in the celator who collector the 12
Caesars for under $1000 using some of your advice (Provincials and non
portraits)?

I'm to lazy to go track down that issue.


Yes, I believe it was in one of the two most recent issues. Good article.

Eric

"Reid Goldsborough" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 19:35:27 GMT, "The Fausts"
wrote:

A last resort: make some rules that exclude the rulers you can't afford.

This is good advice. One of the great things about collecting ancient
coins is the flexibility like this. You can do similar things with
U.S. coinage -- create minisets and so on that you define yourself.
But you don't have quite the same possibilities.

With Roman coins, I have a little House of Constantine bronze set --
cheap! g And another even smaller set of Constantine the Great
barbarous bronzes, equally affordable.

I should probably consider going ahead with a Constantine set, it's perfect
for the paltry numismatic budget I'm currently imposing upon myself.

Eric