Very interesting topic. I started collecting Ancients as far back as around 1974 but was very limited in budget back then. I've tried to join this forum but the security check doesn't seem to be working. There it goes: I seem to have gotten in.
I tended to go to one coin store in my neighborhood which was not very helpful. They were selling Roman denarii for $3 ea I recall but I was uncertain whether to buy any so I didn't. Later I came back to the store and the silver was all bought but they had some bronzes of the Constantine period and perhaps of the Tetrarchy, running about $1.50 each. I went wild and spent around $7.50 total, these were my 1st ancients.
In the late 70's, when I was in college, I began to correspond with an advanced collector/ dealer: Frank S.? Robinson of New York. He wrote to me about Roman sestersii and other issues. After college I wasn't so interested in Anceints but began to collect US type coins: like Bust Halves and Liberty Seated Halves. But I was priced out of the rapidly rising US market at the time.
Went to grad school and after that I began to collect US type, Ancients and some World. I lost interest in Ancients and sold a portion of my collection. Around 1998 I got married and sold most of my US collection to help buy a house. The US market was pretty strong and I thought World or foreign was a much better value. I'd show coins to whoever came to visit us and people wanted me to do talks on Ancient Coins.
To help my collection for displays and talks, I began to collect Ancients and World more seriously. Today I present to ten 6th-grade classes every year at a local high school. When they get to the Greek and Roman part of their history courses, I do a talk & coin presentation on "Ancient Civilizations as Shown by Coins". I'll try to post some pix.
A Roman Coin I use as an avatar
Gallienus changed their profile photo
