Beauty & Lore Mark Ancient Coins

Ancient coin collecting is one of the most popular areas of the coin collecting spectrum. Coins such as Byzantine, Greek, Roman, and older are all parts of this group. Although not as profitable as traditional coins, ancient coins have a historical value all their own. Sure, an early United States could have passed through the hands of any number of our great historical figures, but an ancient coin carries the weight of the world – literally. Each coin is different. Each coin has a story. They all bear the marks of time and the earth where their metal came from.

It is not only the age of these ancient coins that keep collectors coming back. It is also their beauty. Greek coins were the inspiration for some of the most beautiful U.S. coins ever made like the Saints, Walkers, and Standing Liberties. Ancient coins were the first to be made. They were minted in a time where standing and prestige were everything.

For centuries, coin collectors muddled through the vast sea of coins minted from ancient times. With no coherent system of cataloguing, ancient coin collecting was a painful labor of love. Then Joseph Eckhel, the numismatist for the Roman Empire developed a system for geographically categorizing ancient coins that is still used today. This system allows collectors of ancient coins to properly categorize their acquisitions, making cataloguing much simpler.

Ancient coins are typically less costly than modern coins. This is because they are so plentiful. Although extremely old, they did not go through the mass recalls, meltdowns, and reminting of modern day coins. When an ancient coin was struck, it was struck. So while there are a set number of Morgans, Double Eagles, and other modern coins, ancient coins are found in fields and back yards all across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Ancient coin collecting is a passion that is steeped in history and lore. It is about more than putting shiny coins in a book, it is about holding history in your hand. You can feel the when you hold coins from Rome, Greece, Persia, China, and the like. If you love history, antiquities, and have a real sense of wonder, then collecting ancient coins might just be for you.