Ancient Coins Unboxing Grading Results - Greek Roman

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Ancient Greek and Roman coins are not only fascinating artifacts of antiquity but also crucial to understanding the economic, political, and cultural life of these ancient civilizations. These coins, ranging from the modest copper pieces to gold staters and denarii, provide a wealth of information about the societies that produced them.
Ancient Greek Coins
The origins of coinage are often traced back to Lydia, an ancient kingdom in what is now Turkey, around the 7th century BCE. The concept of coinage quickly spread to the Greek world, where it was enthusiastically adopted and adapted. Greek coins are noted for their aesthetic qualities and the high level of craftsmanship involved in their production.
#### Types and Characteristics
Greek coins were typically made from gold, silver, and electrum (a natural alloy of gold and silver), with bronze used for smaller denominations. The most famous and widely used Greek coins include the Athenian tetradrachm, which featured the owl of Athena, symbolizing wisdom and prosperity. Coins from Corinth often depicted Pegasus, the winged horse, while those from Rhodes bore the image of a rose, a pun on the city’s name.
#### Iconography and Inscriptions
The imagery on Greek coins was rich with symbolism and reflected the values and deities important to the issuing city-state. For example, the coins of Athens prominently featured Athena, the city's patron goddess. Similarly, coins from Olympia depicted Zeus, reflecting the religious significance of the site as the location of the ancient Olympic Games.
The inscriptions on Greek coins, typically in Greek, included the name of the city-state or the ruler who issued them. These inscriptions, along with the iconography, served not only a monetary function but also a propaganda purpose, reinforcing the authority and identity of the issuer.
Roman Coins
Roman coinage evolved from the earlier Greek models but developed distinct characteristics that mirrored the growth and transformation of Rome from a Republic to an Empire.
#### The Republican Period
In the Roman Republic, coinage initially consisted of heavy bronze pieces known as aes signatum and aes grave, which were cast rather than struck. By the 3rd century BCE, Rome began producing silver coins, the most famous being the denarius, which became the backbone of Roman currency for centuries.
Republican coins were characterized by their portrayal of Roman gods and goddesses, symbols of Rome’s foundational myths, and sometimes historical figures. For example, the goddess Roma, a personification of the city, frequently appeared on Republican coins.
#### The Imperial Period
The transition to the Imperial period under Augustus brought significant changes to Roman coinage. Coins became a vital tool of imperial propaganda, with emperors depicted in a god-like manner. Portraits of emperors adorned the obverse of coins, while the reverse featured various themes, such as military victories, public works, and deities.
Gold coins, known as aurei, became more common, alongside the silver denarii and various bronze denominations. The iconography on these coins was used to communicate the emperor's legitimacy, accomplishments, and divine favor. For example, coins of Augustus often depicted him as the bringer of peace and prosperity, while those of Trajan emphasized his military victories and contributions to public welfare.
#### The Decline and Reforms
By the 3rd century CE, the Roman economy faced severe inflation and debasement of the currency. The silver content of the denarius decreased, leading to a loss of confidence in the currency. To address this, Emperor Diocletian introduced a series of reforms, including the creation of new coin types such as the argenteus and the follis, and the re-establishment of a more stable monetary system.
Numismatic Legacy
The study of ancient coins, known as numismatics, offers a window into the past, revealing details about the economic conditions, trade networks, political changes, and cultural priorities of ancient Greek and Roman societies. Coins are among the most durable of archaeological artifacts, and their widespread circulation means that they often provide more information than other types of evidence.
In conclusion, the coins of ancient Greece and Rome are invaluable for understanding these civilizations. Their artistry, inscriptions, and the sheer volume of surviving specimens enable historians and archaeologists to piece together aspects of ancient life that might otherwise remain unknown. The legacy of these coins continues to influence modern currency design and the study of economic history.
#ancientcoins #history #ancientcoinage #coingrading #rockysramblings #coincollecting #coins #silvercoins #goldcoins

[@shawn951951]

I never knew ANACS did ancients. I've only seen NGC Ancients slabs. The owl is beautiful!

[@rockysramblings]

Thanks!

[@nickfrost9771]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Question for anyone... Why not just have CAC grading company grade your coins in the first place? I know everyone is all about having a PCGS holder and a truview image online. But since they switched ownership. The main guy who did the images is gone and they have not been good lately. The main good graders are gone and there are countless videos of people having issues with reliable grading, consistency and experience. It's like the put in adds for all the good positions in the l.a. times comedy chat line. I know most people grade thru PCGS or NGC then go for the CAC sticker. So again, why not just go thru CAC grading from the start?

[@nickfrost9771]

@@rockysramblings 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Question for anyone... Why not just have CAC grading company grade your coins in the first place? I know everyone is all about having a PCGS holder and a truview image online. But since they switched ownership. The main guy who did the images is gone and they have not been good lately. The main good graders are gone and there are countless videos of people having issues with reliable grading, consistency and experience. It's like the put in adds for all the good positions in the l.a. times comedy chat line. I know most people grade thru PCGS or NGC then go for the CAC sticker. So again, why not just go thru CAC grading from the start?

[@johnnyb3126]

Awesome ancient Coins 🎉🎉

[@rockysramblings]

Thank you!

[@cgcoins3639]

Wow, surprised you didn't send them to NGC... I've always heard they're the best for grading ancients! Plus they're grading scale is different for them too, which you probably already know!

[@typeviic1]

Actually, ANACS is very popular w/ancients.

[@cgcoins3639]

@@typeviic1 I've never actually seen ancients in an ANACS slab before, but then again I wasn't looking either!

[@rockysramblings]

I don’t have an account with NGC. So far I’m quite happy with ANACS

[@MrMonkeySwag96]

@@typeviic1 @cgcoins3639 Serious ancient numismatists don't slab their coins in general. Ancient coins have spent millennia buried in the ground, so ancient collectors aren't fretting over scratches, bagmarks, fingerprints etc. The only people that send ancient coins for grading are primarily US coin collectors that merely "dabble" in ancients. Unlike US coins, the grade isn't that important for ancient coins. There are multiple other factors that impact an ancient coins value such as die alignment (centering), surface quality, planchet quality, strike, ownership history/provenance, and die artistry. Possibly the most important factor determining an ancient coin's value is die artistry. Keep in mind, ancient coins were struck with hand engraved dies. The level of artistry for each coin differs depending on who engraved the dies. Two coins of the same type can look drastically different. Collectors prefer ancient coins with realistic, expressive portraits over examples with crude, cartoonish portraits. If you have two coins of the same type and grade, whichever one has more artistic dies will hammer for more at auction.

[@coinstruck6079]

Those are lovey and historically interesting coins. I particularly like the Greek Tetradrachm. A coin dealer in Australia sold a raw one earlier this month described as in “About EF” condition for AUD$1,950, so around US$1,290. It sold within a day or two of listing.

[@rockysramblings]

Dang! Yeah I was a bit surprised at the grade. It is a really nice coin. Well struck

[@followedd]

Greetings. Good to know that ANACS does ancients. Nice coins. Like them a lot Thanks!

[@rockysramblings]

Thanks for watching!

[@RobertLee-wi5kc]

I suggest you check out Heritage auctions they run ancients about 2 times a month. There are 8 of those up for auction now. I believe they will only take NGC in ancients though. It is remarkably round for an ancient of that time. Guessing you bought it from a reputable dealer? Or taking a chance:)

[@rockysramblings]

It was a reputable dealer in London

[@MrMonkeySwag96]

Why Heritage? Classical Numismatics Group (CNG) is by far more renowned for ancient coins. In addition, there are other auction houses on sites like Biddr, Sixbid, and Numisbids that have less fees

[@markwojo727]

So cool

[@grilsegrils9330]

I have seen some silver coins sell at online auction. Medium quality level that takes everything from cheap to expensive. Some of the silver coins there look squeaky clean and brushed in same direction as from rotating brush. I am appalled that it isn't mentioned when they sell it. Is it because everyone can see it if they aren't dumb and born yesterday?

[@morgansinner]

After seeing yours I couldn't stand it any longer so I bought one, well actually I won it in an auction. I think it's a decent price. $745 . NGC graded 5/5 strike & 4/5 surface. I'm in the Greek game with you now 👍😁 I'm referring to the Tetradrachm.

[@rockysramblings]

Nice! Congrats 😁

[@MegaSilverStacker]

Yo Rock! Good morning

[@rockysramblings]

Mornin!

[@grilsegrils9330]

What did they clean them in? Wouldn't every single coin from that era have coloration regardless if it is gold even? Especially the silver stuff is suss as hell

[@Kornheiser10]

Never heard of that gradung company for ancients. You might want to send to NGC for better and acceptable grading.

[@MrMonkeySwag96]

It's a waste of time to send low value ancient coins to grading in general. Slabs aren't popular in the ancient coin hobby. Keep in mind, NGC's website states that they don't guarantee the authenticity of ancient coins, they only guarantee the grade. NGC wouldn't slab an ancient coin they think is fake, but they aren't liable in the rare case the coin turns out to be fake. That's why it's important for collectors to practice due diligence and do extensive research on ancient coins. Rather than relying solely on NGC's opinions, it's best to purchase ancient coins that have a long ownership history and a pedigree of passing through multiple reputable auction houses and dealers.

[@morgansinner]

BI on the broken coin means its a very, very cheap mixture of metals with silver..but very little silver. The Tetradrachm in my opinion is absolutely stunning and the big winner ! I've been trying to buy one for a while, they're just too expensive for this country boy. Its a extremely desirable and sought after greek coin. Congratulations! Ancient coins are freaking confusing, I've been collecting them for only a few months. Also, AR on the Tetradrachm means Silver . AV is gold, BI is billon like pot metal (broken coin)

[@rockysramblings]

Cool! Thanks for the info! I really don’t know much about the ancients but they are cool. That Tetradrachm is definitely the winner. It’s the quality that makes it worth so much. That’s also why I was concerned if it was real or not.

[@MrMonkeySwag96]

@@rockysramblings technically the Roman Egypt coin of emperor Antoninus Pius is a tetradrachm as well. It's a debased Tetradrachm, hence why its made of billon (BI). Billon has a higher ratio of copper relative to silver within the alloy. The Roman Egyptian Tetradrachms can only circulate within Egypt, they're prohibited from leaving Egypt's borders. Likewise, other Roman currency such as the silver Denarius are unable to circulate in Egypt. Egypt's economy was more tightly controlled by the Roman emperor relative to other provinces within the Empire.

[@remyferrari8501]

You’d think that if it was broken while trying to slab it, they’d slab both pieces together anyway. Hopefully they didn’t charge you, at least…

[@nickfrost9771]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Question for anyone... Why not just have CAC grading company grade your coins in the first place? I know everyone is all about having a PCGS holder and a truview image online. But since they switched ownership. The main guy who did the images is gone and they have not been good lately. The main good graders are gone and there are countless videos of people having issues with reliable grading, consistency and experience. It's like the put in adds for all the good positions in the l.a. times comedy chat line. I know most people grade thru PCGS or NGC then go for the CAC sticker. So again, why not just go thru CAC grading from the start?

[@blcscott7897]

Nice coins

[@scg-qx2vj]

Si encapsulada tienes la seguridad que no es falsa ,pero es decepcionante no poder tocar las monedas y disfrutarlas yo las tengo en cápsulas que se pueden abrir y me gusta sacarlas de vez en cuando y tocarlas sentir su antigüedad y sensaciones difíciles de explicar 😊

[@rockysramblings]

I agree! I love to touch them

[@spartanumismatics8165]

I would not blame anacs at all. Its not expensive coin 100 to maybe what you paid. Ive been collecting ancients foe a bit. Most likely the broken coin happened in transit because it was crystallized. Which happens depending on where the silver coin was originally found. It makes them superrr fragile. Ive had a couple that broke in the mail.

[@rockysramblings]

I don’t want to blame them but not knowing what really happened makes it hard not to question. I managed to bring it all the way back from London without it breaking 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@chrisb.h4605]

Anacs slabs look awful .. always scratched up.. as for damage. I just got a coin back.. It was one of the first minted.. pre - ordered .. and was perfect when I sent it.. come back 3-4 months later .. scratched in multiple areas... (NGC) didn't look like the coin I sent in ... but grading companies are never going to hold their hands up and admit to damage.. as they'd have to issue compensation... 🤬

[@rockysramblings]

Take videos and many pictures of your coins before you send it in.

[@chrisb.h4605]

@@rockysramblings I always do.. but I use somebody else ... who does the paperwork and sends them via London NGC...

[@Horsehammer]

Just so you have coverage or you can blame it on postal worst case and at least get it insured if it's worth something