Where do these coins come from?   

Starting as a dirt clod or unearthed clay jar with hidden treasure inside, ancient coins are being found regularly.  Ancient coins are no longer the exclusive prize for museums and rich private collectors. With new caches and buried hoards being unearthed across the old Roman Empire, these ancient coins are readily available today. They are found during road construction and while excavating ground before new construction. Lets not forget all of those folks with metal detectors working the fields and back yards every where. How did they end up in the ground? In ancient time a soldier going off to war would bury his money and valuables in animal skins or terracotta jars. Often the location would be next to an aqua duct or a favorite olive tree. Many soldiers never returned and their stash of coins remained hidden until now. Unless sealed in jar or other container these coins have become encrusted and wait for your soak bin and toothbrush.

      Why Collect Ancient Coins?     

Simple! It's fun! Like any other collection of items each coin has its own unique and beautiful design. All with a place in history and before our own time. These coins were real tender used by the citizens of the ancient Roman Empire and before! Beautiful artwork in copper, brass, bronze, billion, silver, and gold. This is history in coinage shown in the busts of the emperors and gods that they worshiped. The effect of Christianity on the empire is one of the obvious inclusions to the various coins struck. With great egos like Caligula, Nero, Vespasian, and Alexander the Great their likeness adorns many denominations.

     How expensive are the coins?    

Not expensive at all!
Current prices for a nice detailed coin that can be attributed start at $3.00 with silver coins available from about $15.00. Try to buy a US Liberty Walking silver dollar for $15.00. Yes some gold coins reach the thousands, but that is the nature of any gold item. Un Cleaned coins can be had from $1.00 each when bought by the hundred count. Cleaning two thousand years of dirt off of a coin to reveal a bronze work of art is a rush. Being the first person to see this coin in 18 to 20 centuries makes you an Indiana Jones in your own house. Just like a real archeologist with your brush and patiently removing the years layer by layer. The coins history and the people that exchanged it a silent memory in your hand.

  How do I Start Collecting ?  

With research and a lot of reading!
The best advice I can share is that there is no substitute for education. With the internet as a research tool investigate every resource you can find! In the menu on the left you will find links for coin dealers, auctions, and on line data bases to attribute (identify) your coins. Books on this subject are expensive but contain a plethora of information. Don't forget your public library as a resource. Some people collect one ruler like Vespasian in all of his various mint releases and then move on to another ruler say Nero. Some collectors select an entire era like the Byzantine. I have one grandson that loves any copper coin because of the various patina colors. My other grandson has selected the Byzantine scyphates (Christ cup coins, Jesus coins) as his area of research and collecting. There is no wrong way to collect and there are so may different coins to be had. As always personal choice will dictate your selected area of collecting. While perfect coins look like museum pieces I have many that are off center or chipped in my collection. Why ? Because they have a beautiful patina, or the character of the coin made an impression on me because of the chip or crack! I have several copies of many coins all with a different patina or level of detail. The subject of patina can also be found in the menu on the left. Do your research before you buy! Buy from a reputable source.
 

Are the coins a good investment option?

Yes and No!

No First!
Don't expect to buy a giant hoard of 1000 un cleaned coins and expect to find a few choice gold coins to strike it rich! Not going to happen! Really! See the Un Cleaned coin page to get the rest of the picture.

Yes you can expect that if you purchase VF grade Gold and Silver coins that they will appreciate in value on the collectors market. Even some copper, bronze and brass coins demand a nice price in the popular designs that are highly detailed specimens. Your best sources for quality coins will be bullion brokers, coin dealers, museums, on-line ancient coin auctions and dealer web sites. View before you buy and buy what you like. Don't buy a coin just by grade or because they use words like Rare or Scarce. Graded slabbed coins are a safe bet and have been authenticated and graded. In every purchase you make always remember "caveat emptor"! Fakes are a reality but rare.