Reasons Why Ancient Roman Coin Collecting Is Such An Affordable And Fun Hobby
Have you ever imagined what Roman Emperors like Julius Caesar, Nero or Titus looked like. Perhaps you would also like to own something that may have been held by one of these historic men or someone living during their time.
If you are a collector with a low budget, particularly a coin collector then you should seriously consider taking up the hobby of Roman coin collecting.
There are a number of reasons why you should consider collecting Roman coins then other Ancient Coins.
While other ancient coins can be interesting a very large variety of Roman coins exist due to the vast time and area that the Roman Empire covered. Countless coins were minted over the first few centuries that the Roman Empire existed and these coins reflect the time and location of the region.
Also its great to have a real portrait of an Emperor in your possession. Many emperors came and went and it was customary to inscribe the portrait of the emperor on the coins that were minted during their reign.
Roman coins are the least expensive of all Ancient coins. Other ancient coins include for example Greek, Barbaric, Celtic, Parthian, Nabathaean, Islamic, Indian and Chinese.
This can come as a surprise to many considering how ancient these coins are. Yet they can be even cheaper then some of the modern day coins that coin collectors collect. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly as already stated the Roman empire was large and so there were a lot of coins minted. Many Roman coins are therefore not as rare as many believe. Another reason is that there are few collectors of ancient coins then modern coins. This makes the demand for them lower.
You are less likely to come across a fake Roman coin then other coins. Roman coins are less expensive and rarer so there is less of a motive to forge them.
Another reason why I enjoy collecting Roman coins is that they have more then just historic value. These coins have creative and artistic value. They have been beautifully crafted and reflect the culture and environment of where they were made.
Roman Coins had intrinsic value. Unlike coins today these coins were made from Gold, Silver, Bronze etc. Should you have a higher budget this gives you the chance to collect the more special and rarer Gold and Silver coins which were worth many more times their weight in those metals.
The Factors that determine the worth of a Roman coin
Prices for Roman Coins vary significantly and are due to a number of variables. The top two important are the grade of the coin when it was minted and the condition that the coin is in now.
The condition of the coin depends on how the coin was stored before being found or how tarnished the coin has become due to minerals in the ground.
The grade is determined by how the coin was minted during Roman times. These coins were hand made and so are not always very circular or detailed. A Roman coin can be less detailed and of less value if it was struck by dies that were worn down.
Determining the grade of a coin can be tricky and sometimes you simply have to go with how appealing and detailed the coin is to your own eyes.
The third most important factor that determines the worth of a Roman coin is how rare that coin is. However rarity is less of a factor with Roman coins as it is with modern coins as Roman coins are so diverse and numerous.
More people collect modern coins and therefore there is greater demand for them. Also because modern coins are less varied then Roman coins the value of a modern coin can be driven up if collectors are trying to complete their collections. This is less of an issue with Roman coins as the variety is much greater and collectors are less likely to complete their collection. Each collection will be different. Rare Roman coins do exist however. If an emperor was only in power for a short period of time less coins are likely to have been minted during his reign. These coins are harder to find and cost more.
Sellers of ancient coins will often use terms such as scarce, rare or very rare to describe a coin. Just because someone describes a coin as rare does not mean that it actually is. Unfortunately, some sellers will attach this label to ancient coins to attract novice collectors who do not know better. If someone describes a coin as rare or scarce does the person explain why the coin is rare? Does he give it an RIC number and explain the variety? If you are new to collecting ancient coins, you should not jump on a coin just because is it described as rare.
Once you become more experienced it will be much easier to determine yourself if a coin is uncommon, scarce, rare or very rare.
How much should you pay for a Roman Coin
If you want to purchase a really rare Roman coin then they will not sell for much less than $120. Some will sell for more then this. For example a coin of Nero described as rare with an asking price of just a few dollars is very unlikely to be so. There are ebay coin sellers who will claim that their coin is rare, or they have only seen one in a decade, yet there is another one exactly the same being sold on eBay by someone else.
To give you an idea of the variation of price for Roman coins, for $5-$10 you can buy decent quality coins issued under a number of the late-3rd and 4th century AD emperors.
For approximately $10 – $20, you should be able to collect a coin from the more recognized 1st and 2nd century emperors, and many later ones in good condition. In fact you could collect about half of the emperors of which there is about fifty with clear portraits and readable legends for about $20 a coin.
On top of this, there are numerous varieties available for each emperor. Of course, just as with modern coins, you can buy ones that cost much more; ones that are in better shape or are more scarce, but if you are just interested in decent coins and history then you may not have to look any further.
You could occasionally splash out on a rarer coin which catches your interest or one in much better condition. Or even a Gold or Silver coin worth more then their weight in these precious metals. Some people are attracted to coins that are dirty or not fully legible as it can add to their mystery and even lead to a rare and expensive find.
So, to summarize, buy coins that you find interesting and that appeal to you. No two coins of the same type will be exactly the same; choose the one that you think is better value for your money. Look around to see if a nicer looking coin might be also affordable if that is what you really want, and hence save yourself the trouble of replacing it later or regretting that you bought it in the first place. Do not worry about rarity too much!