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My First Ancient Coin: What Should I Get?

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 Posted 02/26/2025  09:35 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add hfjacinto to your friends list
I only have 2 ancients and I got mine locally. I don't know enough about these to purchase not graded so I can't comment, I don't know if its even real.
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 Posted 02/26/2025  09:48 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add thq to your friends list
I'd say it's worth the money floyd5175. Nice well centered example. As you know by now, you can get ugly ones for less.
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
02/26/2025 09:50 am
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 Posted 02/26/2025  09:53 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Spence to your friends list
@flo, I believe that this is the Kroll reference (not one that I typically use though):

The Athenian Agora, Volume XXVI, The Greek Coins by John H. Kroll (1993)

Here is a link to a *.pdf of it:
https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/uploads/me...ora_XXVI.pdf
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb

"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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United States
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 Posted 02/26/2025  10:08 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add floyd5175 to your friends list

Quote:
Here is a link to a *.pdf of it:
https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/uploads/me...ora_XXVI.pdf


Thanks, Spence!
Looks like I've got some weekend reading ahead of me!
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Portugal
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 Posted 02/27/2025  4:50 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jecz79 to your friends list
floyd5175 I would say no. Half of that ask price would be a bit expensive for me. And to call it extremely fine is misleading. The owls are high relief. That one looks very soft and it is not from a weak strike.
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United States
220 Posts
 Posted 02/27/2025  8:49 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add samoth to your friends list

Quote:
I only have 2 ancients and I got mine locally. I don't know enough about these to purchase not graded so I can't comment, I don't know if its even real.


I only have three Greeks. After the first (Larissa drachm), I bought a well-made fake of it to try to better understand the differences. I still don't think I'd be able to tell real versus fake of a series I don't know very well (reference books, hundreds of auction references) if they both passed the ring test.

My other two are Messana hares. With extensive auction records & an expensive primary reference, it's easier to get a "feel" for the stylistic differences and what real ones looks like.

The sheer volume of fakes amongst ancients is a big reason I don't pursue them.

I don't know of any good advice for people with a potential interest in the field other than to assemble a black cabinet & extensive library.
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United States
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 Posted 02/27/2025  10:01 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add floyd5175 to your friends list
Okay... another broad, blanket, umbrella question:
If a coin is slabbed by NGC, what are the chances it's fake? 0%? 10%? 25%? 50%?

Okay, two questions:
Have the NGC slabs themselves been faked?
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 Posted 02/28/2025  09:22 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add january1may to your friends list
The question is a bit too broad and blanket for this context...

If a coin is slabbed by NGC, I'd say there's probably around a 1-2% chance it's fake; but this is probably higher specifically for ancients, because they don't deal with those as much and are thus more likely to miss fakes.

NGC slabs have definitely been faked! But I'm not sure if this had ever happened with specifically ancient coins, because collecting ancient coins in slabs is a lot less popular in the first place.

(The same answers would have applied to PCGS, except I don't think PCGS slabs ancient coins at all.)
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 Posted 03/06/2025  10:26 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add floyd5175 to your friends list
They're bought! I've dived headfirst into the ancient coin shallow end! Many of you will probably roll your eyes at my choices and for spending this much (around $2,200 after buyer premium) on my first coins, and you'll probably have a point!

I'll post photos and details once I have all three coins in my possession. Should I start a new thread or post here?

Alexander III (lifetime/early posthumous)
Attica Athena Owl (mid-mass)
Caesar Military (elephant)
Edited by floyd5175
03/06/2025 10:49 am
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Portugal
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 Posted 03/06/2025  6:49 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jecz79 to your friends list
Prices for classical owls are crazy high. Saw one today start at 300 euros and sell for a thousand. A new style one going for almost that. Admit the new style could deserve that. Much nicer coins to hold than the classicals in my opinion.

I see you went for two of the most popular ones. 2200 may have been a good deal at the current prices.
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 Posted 03/07/2025  1:45 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add floyd5175 to your friends list
I don't have the coins in my possession, yet. But here are the selling photos. Two were auctions and one a fixed price seller. After spending $2200 (after all fees and shipping), it'll likely be awhile before I buy again. Plus, I need to do a little research to see what coin would compliment these three.

Be easy on me. I'm new to this ancient coin collecting hobby. But definitely share your thoughts on the quality of the coins and whether I spent an insane amount of money on them!

My-First-Ancient-Coin:-What-Should-I-Get?
My-First-Ancient-Coin:-What-Should-I-Get?
My-First-Ancient-Coin:-What-Should-I-Get?
My-First-Ancient-Coin:-What-Should-I-Get?
My-First-Ancient-Coin:-What-Should-I-Get?
Edited by floyd5175
03/07/2025 1:45 pm
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 Posted 03/07/2025  6:56 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add thq to your friends list
Nice looking coins. You have to step up to get what you want. It's hard to find great coins that no one knows about. I prefer not going to yard sales for the rest of my life expecting to find a treasure in the trash. My folks did and I had to dispose of all their treasures as executor.
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
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 Posted 03/07/2025  8:31 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Spence to your friends list
All nice ones @flo. Of the three, my fave is the Macedonian Tet, but again all three are good additions to anyone's collection. Well done!
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb

"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
Valued Member
United States
86 Posts
 Posted 03/07/2025  9:10 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add floyd5175 to your friends list
Thanks, you guys! Feedback from people who are knowledgeable about ancient coins means a lot to me.
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