Ancient Coins

I'm just starting to learn about ancients, and it seems that the only comprehensive (or as near to comprehensive as one gets with ancients) guides are pricy, multi-volume works, and probably not worth the expense if you're only interested in a few coins. However, the folks on this forum are usually more than happy to give an attribution and a rough value if you post pictures of the coins.

Ditto! Put some images up and these guys will most likely zero in on its identity very quickly. BTW welcome to the ancients forum.

Thanks, I posted pictures of these coins before but didn't quite get all the information I was looking for I will post them again and see what happens.

Unfortunately those coins do not appear to be attributable at all. They all appear to be 3rd - 4th century Roman coins except the last one which looks to be Indian or Arabic. In the state they are in they are probably worth about one dollar a piece.

For the most part, MartiVltori is correct. However, the first coin appears to be a Gallienus and the third coin appears to be a first century AD coin, perhaps Claudius or even as late as a Trajan. I will do some checking and get back to you later if no one has Identified them by that time.

Regards,

As I said, I believe the first coin is a Gallienus Antoninianus with a Victory reverse. The problem is that there are several Gallienus coins with this reverse and your coin's condition is not good enough to distinguish which coin it may be. However, your coin is at least similar to RIC 305:

Gallienus AR Antoninianus. GALLIENVS P F AVG, radiate & cuirassed bust right / VICTORIA AVG, Victory advancing left holding wreath & palm-branch.

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear...tml#RIC_0305

Thanks for the information, so the last coin looks like its not a roman one? Also what are these coins made out of?

In order the larger pictures were posted:

#1: Roman Empire, Gallienus antoninianus, as others have said. There's not enough space left for "VICTORIA" to fit on the reverse lettering; I think it's PAX AVG. Antoninianii of this period were made of extremely debased silver - less than 5%.

#2: I have no idea. It looks a bit too small to be a Kushan copper, and appears to have a human figure on one side and an eagle on the other.

#3: Roman Provincial, I think I can make out a large "SC" inside a wreath on the reverse. That's a very common design for coppers of Antioch. Being counterstamped like this one also seems to be a common fate for Antioch coppers.

#4: Appears to be Late Roman, from what I can see of the portrait, but the seated figure on the reverse looks earlier than that. I can't read enough of the lettering to be able to tell whether it's a Greek or Latin legend on the obverse. It looks copper but there's no way to know for sure unless we can actually ID the coin.

#5: It looks more Islamic/Indian, rather than ancient. It appears to be bronze/copper.