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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,159 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1391 Posts |
I've been lurking in the ancient section for a while because I love Ancient and Medieval history. After reading this topic: https://goccf.com/t/154994 I starting browsing wikipedia and some of my history books. I was fascinated with Heraclius and how he dispatched the usurper Phocas. I found a coin that was labeled as being from Heraclius for a few dollars so I went ahead and bought it. I got it today and here it is:   Don't know much about it but you have to start somewhere right? |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
579 Posts |
Awesome starter coin! Welcome to the big ole world of Ancients
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
 to ancient coin collecting. This is a nice first Byzantine from the Nicomedia mint. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
...to the fam! Its always good to here from a lurker!! I like your (first?) ancient coin!! I have only one coin of these rulers...and I might say it is quite...well...scarce...rare..well I love it... you can read more about it if you look for the thread "confiscated church plate"  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
nice first byzantine! I think that is sear 834, yours is really in pretty good shape....welcome to ancients.  |
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Chris is correct it is Sear 834.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
This is a fun place to hang out. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
You can have a lot of fun inexpensively collecting Byzantine copper. After learning the bare outlines of Byzantine history, you might like the very entertaining gossip (history) recorded about the rulers by John Julius Norwich in his 3-volume series "Byzantium" and if a huge amount of history is too much for you then you can begin with his condensed volume "A short history of Byzantium." Most histories of the Byzantine empire spend a great many pages on the history of the Church, heresies, party politics, social life, etc. (which is good if you are interested), but Norwich goes straight to the stories of the emperors. If you get an inexpensive coin of, say, Justinian, it is a lot of fun to read about Justinian (who was totally fascinating). Of course, the history of Heraclius is remarkable too. I recommend the Norwich books if you like to feel "What a story! I own a coin of his! Cool!"
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1391 Posts |
Thanks all, it is my first Byzantine coin. Thanks for the specific catalog identification. I found the Sear catalog and it is pricey. Is that the one I should get? I found an older edition (1974) that is 1/3 the price.
I was going to store my coin in a saflip with a label in the other side. Will this be good? Should I put some Renaissance Wax on it to preserve it? I read some people do this. (My climate has hardly any humidity).
Edited by allranger
08/07/2013 9:17 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3444 Posts |
If you bought your 'first' for a few bucks you need not worry too much about how to store it.
The fun of ancient AE's is that they are usually pretty tough customers.
While I would not recommend carrying it in your pocket with the loose change you will no doubt enjoy 'playing' with it for a few days.
Some new arrival I will usually leave on my desk so I can enjoy it until something new distracts me ......
Then it goes in a paper flip and into the 'vault' !
Don't worry too much about a reference book until you have a small collection. There are enough online sources for the garden variety coins you will be buying for awhile. Besides that is money better spent on more coins !
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
I'd listen to this guy....I disagree with the "buy the book, not before the coin" at least in this age of internet. It will get to the point where you will need "help" that only a text can provide....or better an old guy on the internet...hardy har har har...
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,159 |
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Posted 08/07/2013 7:42 pm
