Buying Uncleaned Roman Coins

Recovery of coins isn't always unauthorized or detrimental to archeological sites. Buried coins don't usually figure into the most important finds--such as burials of high-status persons, often pre-dating the coinage period. A good example is the Varna necropolis in present-day Bulgaria. But sure--grave looting goes on to this day as it has for thousands of years. Prior to our modern era where burial objects are valued in their own right, they were simply reduced to their most liquid assets, ie gold, silver, or precious stones, often destroying the works outright and losing all historical context. Today, few looters would melt down a Scythian gold ornament for its metal content--which despite a loss of data to archaeologists, still isn't the total loss as previously.

Specifically to coins, some say that every coin dug outside the auspices of a regulated dig represents a "loss of culture". Naturally, this depends on the context of their burial and what the government considers their cultural history--is a Roman coin found on German soil a "cultural artifact--whose culture precisely"? I won't argue this point; states are free to define their cultural antiquity as it suits them. With some 'history' in archaeology publishing, I see coins more as artifacts of trade than culture. Since coins are often dispersed far outside their cultural point of origin, and were used (and later buried) for monetary worth, what story they tell is more on the coin itself than its context of burial. Coins stand on their own as individual pieces of history--representing the politics, beliefs, and art of the particular state where they were minted. That's why I collect.

Well, that was an earful--if you got this far, thanks for reading.

I've purchased several lots from "oldcoinman" on ebay and will do so again. His lots have included several silver-washed coins and others which have revealed excellent details after cleaning.