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 Replies: 10 / Views: 3,763 |
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New Member
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
Hi, can anyone share their knowledge of the best places to obtain uncleaned Roman/Greek coins. Does anyone ever attend certain coin fairs or markets throughout the world. These large lots are obversiouly coming from somewhere. Is anyone able to point me in the right direction? Many thanks
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
 to the community You can find lot's of uncleaned ancient coins for sale on ebay, however you need to be careful and buy from reputable sellers others wise you will be buying low grade and culls coins. Here is a good source from uncleaned coins: http://dirtyoldcoins.com/ |
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New Member
 United Kingdom
7 Posts |
ebay is a no go but I was sort of looking for the source where places like dirty old Romans get there’s. Is the particular bazaars or markets in Europe that you can find bulk lots?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
You live in the UK... are you close to an old Roman village or town? Rather than spend your money on coins that others don't want, why not invest in a metal detector and go looking for some yourself? You most likely aren't going to be living on top of an historic hoard, but metal detectorists are finding old Roman coins every day in old Roman Britannia. I can guarantee that if I lived anywhere in the Old World, I would own a metal dectector!
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New Member
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
I have a metal detertor and have had great times with it but now I’m after obtaining 1000-2000 coins in 1 go at the best possible price. I like the thought of travel to do this and would love some suggestions to where the best places would be to go
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
The UK is one of a very few countries with an enlightened policy regarding metal detecting and ownership of antique coins. The international trade in bulk lots of uncleaned ancients is a "gray" market. Source countries tend to have very strict laws against trafficking in antiquities, including coins. Caveat emptor.
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Moderator
Australia
16844 Posts |
You will find people generally don't share knowledge about their sources of bulk material. This is partly because they are not seeking competition, and partly because it's entirely possible that at least some of their sources aren't entirely legal and ethical.
"Greek coins", for example, are logically going to be sourced from countries where the ancient Greeks had many cities: Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East. Italy, Greece and Turkey all have strict anti-antiquities-trading laws which mean it's virtually impossible to export bulk uncleaned coins legally from these places. And Syria, of course, is in a state of civil war; artifacts have been pouring out of there as fast as the refugees are. The EU has passed directives restricting the trade of Syrian artifacts, which the UK must abide by at least until Brexit happens. All of which means that raw, "truly unsearched" uncleaned Greek coins are either come from the few Greek colonies outside of those areas (such as the ones in Bulgaria, Russia and Ukraine) or have been looted/stolen. The bulk lots of "uncleaned Greek coins" you see for sale on places like Dirty Old Coins are likely to be very, very far removed from those sources - and are likely to have been picked over by very many experienced eyes before you get to see them.
The bulk availability of ancient coins has sadly always depended on the political instability of the affected countries. The coin market was flooded with Siscia-minted Roman coins during the Yugoslavian civil war in the 1990s, for example.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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New Member
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
Thank you for all your great replies. A good friend of mine has suggested a trip to Bulgaria so may try my luck there. If not I may attend some European coin fairs to see what's on offer. I know there must be a source as many people seem to have a unlimited source. I would love you just get my hands on just 1 huge lot of untouched uncleaned coins before they have hit every trader in the world. Thanks again and if anyone has anymore comments please feel free to comment as they all all greatly appreciated.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
Edited by Kushanshah
09/26/2018 5:16 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
616 Posts |
Yeah... I frequently travel to Europe and aside from seeing coins in museums I pass on them in the shops. For one thing, in countries like Israel and Italy, the burden is on you to prove the coins have the proper paperwork to make them legal. Even the slight risk of being detained over a legit coin purchase is enough to scare me off. Another thing is that the shops I've visited are full of fakes. I'm sure there are dealers who sell legit coins - I regularly buy from their auctions - but why risk getting ripped off with an unknown dealer when you can buy from legit ones online and have them shipped here? Finally, with the trouble in Syria, Iraq and Libya I simply don't want to risk funding guys who want to kill me. I think your notion of being the first to handle newly discovered coins is very romantic, but it runs up against the cold reality of funding organized crime and terrorists, breaking laws in countries you aren't familiar with, and a big risk of getting ripped off. I think a metal detector is your best bet. If I lived in your country I'd be out in the countryside doing like these guys all day long...  Edited by jskirwin
09/26/2018 5:36 pm
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New Member
United Kingdom
7 Posts |
Yes maybe I'll give those Eastern European counties a miss then. Definitely don't want to break any laws and definitely don't want to fund crime/ terrorists. Just hate picking those online auctions with the scraps. Thanks guys you have all been a great help to me.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 3,763 |
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Posted 09/25/2018 07:14 am
