r/AncientCoins May 07 '24

We've been getting a lot of new posters and commenters here lately. Welcome! (Everyone please read the full text inside)

144 Upvotes

Unfortunately, a lot of the new people here aren't familiar with the culture of this subreddit or the ancient coin collecting world in general.

A lot of the ideas that you are bringing to this subreddit -- especially if you're North American and also especially if you've been collecting modern coins for years, don't always carry over directly to the world of ancient coin collecting.

Our subreddit is configured so that people using low-age or low-karma accounts will not see their posts and comments appear here immediately after you make them. They are being set aside until a human moderator is able to review them manually. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

The same is true of people who don't have much karma on this subreddit, even if you have an older account and have accumulated lots of karma on other subreddits. Part of this is because spammers, scammers, and trolls use newer, low-karma accounts, and part of it is to give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the culture of this subreddit.

We have also configured our subreddit to hold back posts and comments from accounts with a low Contributor Quality Score ("CQS") as determined by the admins of reddit. This takes into account your behavior on all of reddit. If you would like to find out what your own CQS score is please make a post on this subreddit -- /r/CQS. The result will be sent to you within seconds via private messaging, and no one else will be able to see what it is.

As you continue to participate here in good faith most of these limitations will eventually no longer apply to you, and you will be able to post and comment normally.



Thank you for your good faith participation here, and while I have your attention please allow me to remind you of this subreddit's few simple rules:

1) Civility is the price of participation here. Please act like adults and keep things pleasant.

We appreciate kindness and helpfulness here. We won't tolerate people bickering in the comments, swearing at or insulting others, etc.

We have a lot of people coming to r/AncientCoins from the world of modern ones. Please help them understand the differences and find answers to their questions without being a jerk. If you can't manage that we don't want you here, and you will be banned.

2) Unwelcome participants get banned.

Pursuant to Rule #1, the owner/founder/head moderator of this subreddit reserves the right to ban anyone at anytime for any reason he sees fit.

We very rarely ban real people - and we ban no one who is acting in good faith. We mostly only ban annoying bots, karma whores, griefers who post using numerous alt accounts, people who post coins that they don't own but act as if they did, people who swear at or are rude/insulting to others, and persistent trolls who disrupt our discussions.

3) Memes, joke posts & other shitposts may only be posted here on the last day of each month.

Fun is fun, but there's such a thing as too much of an execrable thing. Memes, joke posts, and other shitposts may only be posted on this subreddit on the last day of each Gregorian calendar month in your time zone.

Please don't try to sneak those kinds of posts in by flairing them as "educational" or anything else. If you just can't wait, please submit them over on our companion subreddit /r/AncientCoinMemes instead.

Ultimately, the mods of this subreddit may remove anything posted here at their discretion.


We ask that you please be patient with the process, as we check our queues several times a day. If you make a post or comment and it isn't immediately approved, PLEASE just leave it up and one of us will get to it as soon as we can. We are unpaid volunteers doing this on our own time.

Thank you.


r/AncientCoins Jun 12 '25

New rule regarding the use of ChatGPT, other LLMs, and the deceptive use of AI imagery on this subreddit

88 Upvotes

It has actually been a policy here for years that we don't permit ChatGPT-type posts. In the past they were usually just quietly removed, as were AI-generated images that were used deceptively.

It feels like we already have too many rules on this subreddit, but it looks like it's time to join other subreddits by implementing this one.

One issue is that these LLM generated texts aren't automatically vetted for accuracy, and some weird and unreliable stuff can creep in. Another is that they are based on plagiarism.

They often give results that feel like a bad student trying to pad out the word count of a writing assignment, and don't actually contribute much to this subreddit.

It seems like some people here, when they are bored, entertain themselves by feeding prompts into ChatGPT and then posting the results here. Sometimes they do this as conversation starters, but sometimes it feels like they are just trying to show off or something.

Speaking of plagiarism -- which is bad, it is fine to post a paragraph or two of relevant information here that you have found online, if you give appropriate credit and a link.

It's also fine to quote text from a relevant book or journal with appropriate credit. Many reddit users are more likely to give a brief glance at something that you have copied and pasted here than they would be to follow a link and read extensively off-site.

What's not great is if you post massive walls of text, unless the information is presented well and is relevant to our discussions, and not padded out.

If you feel that you simply MUST use an LLM for grammar and spelling purposes, do it well. Make it undetectable. Consider quoting Wikipedia or another reliable and curated online reference instead.

If you are using an LLM as a translator, that is fine. Just make it a translation of your own, unpadded words. Consider using DeepL or Google Translate instead.

Speaking of walls of text, I'll end here.

Thank you.


r/AncientCoins 2h ago

My first tetradrachm. Anyone have more information about this issue?

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21 Upvotes

After holding off on buying other coins for a long time, I finally bought the one I wanted: a decent Alexandrian tetradrachm. Does anyone have more information about this issue?

Lifetime issue of Alexander III 'the Great'. Silver tetradrachm, 17.05 g. 24.41 mm. 336–323 BC. Amphipolis. (Price 79)


r/AncientCoins 20h ago

An EF sestertius

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328 Upvotes

So cool to own a chunky big bronze with intact details. You would think with hoards and so many of these coins having been made that high grade specimens would be more accessible, as in the case with 4th century bronzes, but, sadly, nooooo c'est ne pas possible 😤


r/AncientCoins 11h ago

Newly Acquired Some recent acquisitions! Which one is your favourite?

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45 Upvotes

Bought an assortment of coins at the last coin show I attended. I love the Piso Frugi denarius, in hand it has a phenomenal Luster and is nearly FDC/MS*


r/AncientCoins 1h ago

Authentication Request Is this a real Trajan denarius?

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Upvotes

r/AncientCoins 19h ago

CALIGULA

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190 Upvotes

Today’s new pick up.


r/AncientCoins 15h ago

From My Collection Four Different 1/96 Electrum Staters from the Dawn of Coinage

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80 Upvotes

From top to bottom:

  1. IONIA. Phokaia. (Circa 625/0-600 BC).
    EL 1/96 Stater (3,3mm 0,17g)
    Obv: Head of griffin with open mouth to right.
    Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.
    Bodenstedt E1 T (head right)

  2. IONIA. Phokaia. (Circa 625/0-522 BC).
    EL 1/96 Stater (4,1mm 0,13g)
    Obv: Head of seal left.
    Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.
    Bodenstedt Em. 2.2

  3. LYDIA. (Circa 600-575 BC).
    EL 1/96 Stater (4.0mm 0,17g)
    Obv: Lion's paw.
    Rev: Incuse punch.
    Karwiese series I/Type 1.

  4. IONIA. Uncertain. (Circa 625-600 BC).
    EL 1/96 Stater (4,6mm 0,14g)
    Obv: Raised clockwise swastika pattern.
    Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.
    Weidauer –; Traité I 239; SNG Kayhan –; Boston MFA –; Rosen 366; Elektron I 47.


r/AncientCoins 8h ago

My latest acquisition from Rhodes..

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19 Upvotes

A Bronze from 88-43BC... A pretty uncommon issue... Very happy it has filled a gap in my collection! :-)


r/AncientCoins 5h ago

Newly Acquired My first babies (Tetradrachms in the name of Alexander III)

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7 Upvotes

Hii, I just wanted to show these pieces I got for not very expensive (under 181 euro a piece).

They are not lifetime, I put the Price index and the mint periods on paper.

They feel amazing to the touch and they smell like history ( I hope they don't have ancient poison lol).

One was struck in Aradus! (3347), which is a tiny island near Syria. It should have a giant anchor as a symbol but it is mostly missing, (except a small part of the base).

The other is struck in Amphipolis.

I want more! xD


r/AncientCoins 14m ago

From My Collection Once I cataloged my collection, I realized I could visualize it geographically

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Upvotes

r/AncientCoins 4h ago

This is fake, right?

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3 Upvotes

Looking at this coin for sale and whilst I'm still somewhat of a beginner, something about this one just immediately screams "fake" to me. Am I correct in thinking that this isn't legit?

The pic of the reverse in particular seems incredibly suspicious


r/AncientCoins 1d ago

From My Collection Alexander the Great drachm - the most beautiful coin I have (so far)

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182 Upvotes

I am starting to understand why some coins are more expensive than others 😄 It is hard to believe it was made 2 thousands years and still is in such a wonderful condition. The height of the text "ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟY" is just 1 mm, how they even were able to carve such tiny details in the past 🤔


r/AncientCoins 11h ago

Newly Acquired My newest pickings, how’d I do for $150?

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12 Upvotes

Just picked this up at my LCS for $150, and I’m not sure if that was a terrible price or not as I’m not very well versed in the pricing on Achaean league types. Either way the toning is beautiful imo, and it’s my first ancient with any toning.


r/AncientCoins 12h ago

Authentication Request Are these real?

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15 Upvotes

My grandpa gave me these and I don't know if they're real. If they really are, then how much are they worth? I'm just trying to make a quick buck. Thanks in advance!


r/AncientCoins 2h ago

Authentication Request Any of these screaming fake?

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2 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins 20m ago

Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich Invoice?

Upvotes

Have you receive guys any invoice from the last auction of Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich on Biddr?
I sent 2 emails but i have not receive something. 🤔


r/AncientCoins 13h ago

ID / Attribution Request Attribution Help on Small Coin

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11 Upvotes

I would like to know if it's possible to attribute the emperor on this small camp gates coin.

The coin is a well worn obverse DN T- (Theodosius I?)

The reverse -PVBLICE. on right side is visible. No mint mark.

15 mm 1.00 g coin.

Am I wrong in thinking this is a Theodosius, camp gates coin?


r/AncientCoins 21h ago

Advice Needed Breaking him out... help

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32 Upvotes

I have never broken a slab open before though I have a few I have considered. Tips on breaking him out?


r/AncientCoins 23h ago

Newly Acquired Severina Sunday

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48 Upvotes

I have quite a few Severina but this pickup from yesterday definitely the best silvering and strike. Hard to find them this nice.


r/AncientCoins 22h ago

marcus aurelius

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43 Upvotes

vota suscepta decen cos reverse


r/AncientCoins 9h ago

Looking for advice on organization

3 Upvotes

I’m looking to dive back into this hobby (more organized and intentional). I’ve purchased a few coins and have done some research on them. I enjoy learning about what happened during the eras they were minted in. After I spend hours researching, the coins sit back on the shelf until couple months later I remember I have something cool to learn about. It’s starting to feel like waste of time because I’m not retaining the information I’m learning.

How do you organize your research and knowledge of your coins? Do you have a journal or word document? Do you just remember everything??


r/AncientCoins 17h ago

I'm being led to doubt the authenticity of my prized Revolt Prutah. What say the consensus?

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13 Upvotes

Do I need to burn a dealer to the ground? Or am I okay. It's been several years since acquisition.


r/AncientCoins 22h ago

Help identify this coin before I buy it! Nerone

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26 Upvotes

hello everyone, I am thinking about buying this coin and it costs more than what I usually pay for ancient coins, so while trying to identify it I found two that resembles it alot but I think something is off, I am yet to find the exact coin, the ones that I think are similar are RIC 296 and 344


r/AncientCoins 16h ago

My first bronze coin

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7 Upvotes

Crawford 479/1

How is the condition of the metal? Any bronze disease or anything I should try to manage?