Budget coins under $100

[expat]

Great advice in the above post.

A couple more from the group lot. I purchased 20 Roman and 5 Greek for 70 Euros including shipping. While most are very worn they are still attributable and among them were some respectable examples for under 3 Euros per coin,

Julian II AE3. 355-361 AD struck under authority of Conatantine II.
 DN IVLIAN-VS NOB C, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right /
SPES REI-PVBLICAE, emperor standing left, helmeted and in military dress, holding globe and spear. Mintmark dot ΔSISV.
RIC VIII Siscia 402
14mm, 2.25gr
Julian II, "The Apostate": Caesar 355-360 AD, Augustus 360-363 AD. The last true "pagan" emperor who revered the ancient gods until the day he died in 363 from a javelin wound fighting the Persians.

Valens AE3. 24th August 367 to 17th November 375 AD. DN VALENS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / GLORIA ROMANORVM, emperor walking right, head left, holding labarum topped with Chi-Rho, and grasping bound captive at the top of the head, D in right field. Mintmark -/D//*ΓSISC. RIC 14b, type x(i); Cohen 11.
17mm, 2.26gr

Licinius I AE Follis. Cyzicus AD 317-320.
IMP LICINIVS AVG, laureate draped bust left holding mappa, orb and sceptre
 IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG, Jupiter standing left, holding Victory on a globe and sceptre, wreath left, Γ right. Mintmark SMK.
17mm, 2.57gr. RIC VII 9r

 

[ambr0zie]

I want to add something to the excellent previous advice. Or better said, to emphasize. 

You need to be extremely well informed about a possible price for a coin. The correct price for a coin .... is the amount you are willing to pay and consider it decent. There are some common coins that are quite expensive and rare coins that are very cheap. Best example I have in mind - Athens tetradrachms. This is probably the most iconic ancient coin, but you can find it in almost every auction, and not just one coin for every auction. But for 100 dollars, the price limit from this thread, you will get, and only if you're very lucky, an ugly example. 

My personal strategy was to study the auctions 1-2 weeks before going live. Choosing a few targets and deciding what is the maximum bid I am willing to offer. This depends on how much I want the coin. Is it in my direct area of collecting? does it have a pleasant design? what is the condition? (this was not a major criteria - I have lots of coins in weak VF or even lower grades, but if they're appealing for me AND the price is good, I do not refuse them).

After I check previous sales of the type, I decide the bid I want to offer. Let's say a "normal" price would be 60 euros plus fees. If the coin was not a mandatory addition, my maximum bid would be 50. If it's an important coin for me, I might go for 80. You get the idea, these are just example sums. 

My point is - paying, let's say, 20 or 30 euros for an impulse snack is not a disaster but if you are caught in a bidding war and you realized you paid 100 euros for a coin that you might easily get for 40 - this is not OK if it becomes a habit. I saw these situations often in auctions. If a coin gets too expensive, it means that a.) 1-2 collectors really want it, much more than I do; and/or b.) the coin has something very special that I fail to see. Not worth gambling hoping that I might see what's that special about it after I pay it. 

Here are some coins I wanted a lot and were major surprises as I was prepared to offer more.

Geta as Augustus, 209-212 AD. Rome. AR Denarius. 18 mm, 3.1 g

Obv: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT. Laureate head right. / Rev : TR P III COS II P P. Janus standing facing, holding sceptre and thunderbolt.

BMC 12; RSC 197a; RIC 79

55 euros including fees 

 

Geta, as Caesar AD 198-209. Rome Denarius AR 20 mm, 3,11 g. AD 200-202

P SEPT GETA CAES PONT, bare-headed and draped bust to right / FELICITAS PVBLICA, Felicitas standing to left, holding caduceus and cornucopia. RIC IV 9a; BMCRE 220; RSC 38a.

60 euros including fees 

 

Domitian AD 81-96. Rome. Quadrans Æ. 17 mm, 2,14 g. Struck AD 84-85

Rhinoceros walking left / IMP DOMIT AVG GERM around large S C.

BMC 498. Cohen 674.  RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Domitian 251; RIC II 435; Sear RCV I (2000), 2835

 

50 euros including fees

 

C. Mamilius Limetanus, 82 BC. Serrate Denarius, Rome. 20 mm, 3,75 g.

Draped bust of Mercury to right, wearing winged petasus and with caduceus over his left shoulder; behind, S. Rev. C·MAMIL LIMET͡AN, Ulysses advancing right, holding walking stick in his left hand and extending his right towards his dog Argus, on the right, standing left.

Babelon (Mamilia) 6. Crawford 362/1. RBW 1370 var. (differing control-letter on the obverse). Sydenham 741.

 

85 euros including fees 

 

[seth77]

My impression would be that if you take into consideration all the coins being offered at a certain point on all venues including fixed price and auction at hammer time, most of them are <100$. The amount of coins available is so vast that most coins are not that important to most collectors and the real money goes after condition first and foremost. Since ancient coins have been under the weather for at least 1500+ years, those special condition coins are very few compared to the overall mass of available coins. So deep pockets bid great condition up while most 'mediocre' condition material is not necessarily sought after by many high-end collectors. As I have noted before, most of what I used to buy pre-Covid is priced almost the same today in nominal terms on biddr and even less so on ebay. This means that I am not after pristine condition and have no problem accepting bad condition if the historical and numismatic interest is there.

Here's one of the latest bargains for way below 100$:

ELAGABAL (218-222)
AE28mm 8.90g orichalcum unit (as?), minted at Caesarea in Cappadocia, ca. 219-220.
ΑΥ Κ Μ ΑΥΡΗΛΙΟϹ ΑΝΤⲰΝƐΙΝΟϹ ϹƐ; youthful laureate head of Elagabalus, r.
ΜΗΤΡΟΠ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ, ƐΤ Γ; agalma of Mount Argaeus placed on garlanded altar, regnal year inscription below.
cf. RPC VI 6699
Unlisted die pairing: the obverse die is recorded as RPC 6699, but the reverse die seems unlisted. Obverse die-match with ANS specimen.
RPC 6699 is already a rather scarce issue, this one is an apparently unknown variation.

Presented as Caracalla, this was actually picked from lots unsold for a very low starting price, after the auction had ended. The Imperial effigy is very young Caracalla-like, but it's of course impossible to be a Caracalla issue for the following reasons:

1. if minted during the reign of Septimius Severus (as the youthful bust suggests initially) the regnal date should be around 195-6, so Caracalla wouldn't have been Augustus yet; in fact this date would have been very unlikely for any issue for Caracalla as he is introduced with the ET Δ issue, while this one is clearly ET Γ, which likely had stopped by the time Caracalla was raised to Caesar in 196.

2. if minted for Caracalla in his sole reign, the portrait is incoherent with the regnal year, as any sole-reign Caracalla issue had to be a fully-grown bearded effigy of the emperor with a new counting system counting the regnal years of Caracalla not since 211 (the death of Septimius) but since 196 (his elevation as Caesar).

So Elagabal was shown as early as 219 and as late as 220, here at Caesarea in Cappadocia, one of the main mints of the East at this time for both base metal and silver billon, as a youthful Caracalla, very likely a nod to the myth that was spread by Iulia Maesa and Iulia Soaemias that he was in fact Caracalla's illegitimate son.

A really interesting piece of history for below 20EUR taxes and Fedex included.

[Topcat7]

Less than $70 per coin.

By opting for the lower quality (my price range), and a mix of silver and bronze, and the 'largesse' of another collector (in one case), I was able to put together a "Twelve Caesars Portraits" collection for less than $850 (or $70 per coin average).

Edited May 21, 2023 by Topcat7

[LONGINUS]

Thanks for your interesting post, @The_Collector !

Nabataean coins are fun to collect. I always enjoy the characteristic portraiture.

None of these cost over thirty dollars.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by LONGINUS

[Marsyas Mike]

Bargain, I think - my first portrait Caligula for $9.  It was mis-identified as an Augustus from Leptis, which does indeed look a lot like it (and the portrait, admittedly, does look like Augustus).  But that ΓΑΙΟϹ in the obverse legend is a giveaway, and I found some die-matches:

Caligula  Æ 15 Magistrate Kleandros Philokaisar  Philadelphia, Lydia  (37-41 A.D.) ΓΑΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; bare head right / ΦΙΛΟΚΑΙϹΑ[Ρ ΦΙΛΑΔƐ]ΛΦƐ[WΝ ΚΛƐΑΝ-ΔΡΟϹ], capricorn left with cornucopia on its back, [ΠΑ]Ε (?) monogram in left field. RPC I 3028; LS 118, no. 18 cf. SNG von Aulock 3072 (4.15 grams / 15 x 14 mm) eBay May 2023 $9.00

"The magistrate's unusual title, Philokaisar, literally translates, "friend of the emperor"... In 17, the city suffered severely from an earthquake, and Tiberius relieved it of having to pay taxes...Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula  also helped the city."  FORVM

Die-Match Characteristics: Obv: P at tip of nose, etc. Rev: Top leg curved.

Die-Match Obv. & Rev.:

Coin no. 11 of RPC I 3028 H.I. Coll. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/423046

DEMOS Auction 10; Lot 484; 14.05.2022

Here are the die-matches - which show more detail than mine.  I think the wear is about the same on these, but mine has a thick green patina that covers up detail.  But for $9 I'm not complaining:

[Roman Collector]

1 hour ago, Marsyas Mike said:

Bargain, I think - my first portrait Caligula for $9.  It was mis-identified as an Augustus from Leptis, which does indeed look a lot like it (and the portrait, admittedly, does look like Augustus).  But that ΓΑΙΟϹ in the obverse legend is a giveaway, and I found some die-matches:

Caligula  Æ 15 Magistrate Kleandros Philokaisar  Philadelphia, Lydia  (37-41 A.D.) ΓΑΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; bare head right / ΦΙΛΟΚΑΙϹΑ[Ρ ΦΙΛΑΔƐ]ΛΦƐ[WΝ ΚΛƐΑΝ-ΔΡΟϹ], capricorn left with cornucopia on its back, [ΠΑ]Ε (?) monogram in left field. RPC I 3028; LS 118, no. 18 cf. SNG von Aulock 3072 (4.15 grams / 15 x 14 mm) eBay May 2023 $9.00

"The magistrate's unusual title, Philokaisar, literally translates, "friend of the emperor"... In 17, the city suffered severely from an earthquake, and Tiberius relieved it of having to pay taxes...Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula  also helped the city."  FORVM

Die-Match Characteristics: Obv: P at tip of nose, etc. Rev: Top leg curved.

Die-Match Obv. & Rev.:

Coin no. 11 of RPC I 3028 H.I. Coll. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/423046

DEMOS Auction 10; Lot 484; 14.05.2022

Here are the die-matches - which show more detail than mine.  I think the wear is about the same on these, but mine has a thick green patina that covers up detail.  But for $9 I'm not complaining:

[Tejas]

I was lucky to pick up this Diadumenian in a non-numismatic local auction the other day for the bargain price of CHF 35 + 6.50 for shipping. 🙂

 

Diadumenian, Caesar, AD 217-218

Obv: M OPEL ANT DIADVMENIAN CAES.
Rev: PRINC IVVENTVTIS.
Mint: Rome

RIC 102.

Very fine

Edited June 24, 2023 by Tejas

[expat]

Got this for 47 Euros all in.

 

[Valentinian]

I am surprised that some obvious major categories for nice coins at low prices have barely been mentioned: Greek copper coins, Roman provincial coins, Byzantine coins, and especially late Roman bronze coins which include three broad subcategories: Coins from the tetrarchies (AD 284 - c. 313), Constantinian-era coins (306-363), and coins of Valentinian and later (AD 364-450). 

Tetrarchal coins can be both large and in nice shape for under $50. Constantinian-era coins can be in excellent condition under $25. Coins from Valentinian and later (AD 364 - 450) can be in super condition under $50. All coins below were won this year in auctions. All prices below include shipping, usually prorated over several coins won in a single auction.

First is a scarce Galerius as Augustus (AD 305-311) follis from the Cyzicus mint. 27 mm. (A US quarter is only 24 mm, so this is a large coin.) $48.




Next is a similar follis of Maximian (286-305) minted at Heraclea Thracia. 28 mm. [$37] I got it for the bull neck. 



If you want a higher grade tetrarchal follis, you can get one under $100. This next coin, of Galerius as Augustus (which makes it scarcer than his coins as Caesar) is from the Heraclea mint. 30-27 mm. It came from a major auction. [$94]

Next is a very high grade AE3 of Gratian minted at Antioch. 19 mm. (The size of a US cent.) [$29] 

Look at the detail in the hair and on the reverse figure's drapery!  [It could easily have cost twice the price.]

Here is a website that lists and illustrates all late Roman copper types from 364-450:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/ricix/
Most of those reverse types can be found in very nice condition under $50 and in average condition under $20.

There are other categories of inexpensive coins that are, nevertheless, very interesting. I omit the large categories of Greek AE and Byzantine. Here is one in the "Roman provincial coin" category. I like it for being from an important city near the eastern frontier of Rome. I collect coins that illustrate the conflicts between Rome and Persia:
http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Persian/Persia.html

and if you read about those conflicts you might come across this city, Cyrrhus, in northern Syria. 28 mm. Emperor Philip I, AD 244-249, facing left in a radiate crown. 6-column temple with the city name below. [$39]

Next is one more very common type. Licinius, 308-324. 21 mm (The size of a US nickel.) 

Bust of Licinius right. Jupiter standing holding Victory on globe and long staff, eagle with wreath in its beak below. SIS for the Siscia mint. Lovely orange highlights [$20]
 

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by Valentinian

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I'm really pleased with my $55 Phocas. It's also 36mm, almost unheard of for Phocas.  It's in uncommonly nice condition, large, and has really nice earthen highlighting.

This 28mm. module A2 follis was $69.  The ancient chip made it affordable. I'm pretty pleased with the bargain.

That would probably be $300-400 without the chip?  It's uncommonly nice for the type.

[Marsyas Mike]

These were under $100 for the pair of them - Cappadocia Silver - 

Didrachm of Antoninus Pius:

Antoninus Pius  Didrachm Caesarea, Cappadocia (c. 138-161 A.D.) [ΑVΤΟΚΡ ΑΝΤω]ΝЄ[Ι]ΝΟС СЄΒΑСΤΟ[С], bare head right / ЄVСЄ[ΒЄΙΑ], Eusebeia standing left, extending hand over lighted altar to left. RPC IV.3 6898 (8 specimens); Metcalf 116a, S Suppl. 292a (6.43 grams / 20 x 18 mm) eBay June 2023 $34.00 BIN

Drachm of Septimius Severus:

Septimius Severus  Drachm Caesarea, Cappadocia  ЄT Є = Year 5 (196-197 A.D.) [AY] Λ CЄΠ CЄOYH[POC], laureate head right / MHTPOΠO • KAICAPIA, Mt. Argaeus surmounted by star, [Є]T • Є in exergue. Sydenham Caesarea 395 (var.?); BMC 223 (var.?). (3.00 grams / 16 mm) eBay June 2023        $31.00 BIN

Note:  Many varieties of these; this one has shorter legend without final C (KAICAΡIA). The references are confusing, and auctions are not consistent; the reverse legend usually has the final C.  Two consistent references are Sydenham Caesarea 395 / a; BMC 223.

"In his fifth year (when this coin was  issued), Severus defeated Clodius Albinus at the Battle of Lugdunum, securing full control over the Empire.  He also initiated his campaign against Parthia, and made a large payment to his soldiers (perhaps explaining the mintage in this year, the first since 194), plus raised their annual salary from 300 to 400 denarii..." Ancient & Med. Coins Canada

Both a lot of fun to attribute and a reasonable price, I think.  If anybody can help me clarify the Sept. Severus, I'd be much obliged! 

[Curtisimo]

Great coins everyone! Here are 3 I bought 2021 for well under $100 each. The most expensive was $70 shipped.

I think the Smyrna showing Homer was a particularly good buy.

Roman Empire
Severus Alexander 
AR Denarius, Antioch mint, struck AD 223
Dia.: 18.38 mm
Wt.: 3.20 g
Obv.: IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: LIBERALITAS AVG, Liberalitas standing left, holding counting board and cornucopia
Ref.: RIC IV 281 Antioch
Ex Phil Peck (aka Morris Collection) with collectors envelope, private purchase from Herb Kreindler (Jan. 2005)

Judaea
First Jewish War
AE Prutah, Jerusalem mint, struck ca. AD 67/8
Wt.: 2.13 g
Dia.: 16 mm
Obv.: Amphora; Paleo-Hebrew inscription: "Year Two"
Rev.: Vine leaf; Paleo-Hebrew inscription: "Freedom of Zion"
Ref.: Hendin 1360
Ex Tareq Hani Collection

Ionia, Smyrna
Menophilos Krabaus, magistrate.
Ae Homereium, struck ca. 105-95 BC
Dia.: 21 mm
Wt.: 7.05 g
Obv.: Laureate head of Apollo right
Rev.: ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ MHNOΦIΛOΣ KPABAYΣ. 
Homer, holding scroll and resting chin upon hand, seated left on plinth; sceptre behind
Ref.: Milne 1927, 294
Ex Gerhard Plankenhorn Collection of Ionian Coins

 

[Dafydd]

.

 

Honorius. AD 393-423. Æ Follis (19mm, 5.58 g) DN HONORIVS PF AVG. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. / GLORIA ROMANORVM / SMKB. Honorius standing facing, head right, holding labarum and globe.   Price £4. / $5.

 

HADRIAN, (A.D. 117-138), AE AS, (12.56 Gr. 25 mm.) Rome
Laureate draped bust to right of Hadrian
Rev. Fortuna-Concordia standing left holding patera and cornucopiae, S C across.  £20 /$25

I was pleased to pick these 2 up at the N&N London Auction this month. With commission and carriage £39 /$50.00

[Marsyas Mike]

I just feel like sharing today...virtually my whole collection falls in the under-$100 category.  This was ten bucks - seller thought it was fake, which it is, kind of:

Neapolis, Campania  Fourrée Didrachm / Nomos (c. 300-275 B.C.) Head of Nymph right (Siren Parthenope?) kantharos to left  / Man-faced bull walking right, head facing, crowned with laurel by Nike flying right above, [NEΥΠ]OΛIT[EΣ] in exergue. cf. Sambon 467b; HN Italy 579. (5.11 grams / 19 x 18 mm ) eBay June 2023 $10.00 BIN

Attribution:  Most of these with the kantharos also have ΔΙ under the bust.  The two kantharos types with no letters were from CNG auctions (acsearch):  Sambon 467b; HN Italy 579. 

Fourrées are common for this type; acsearch listed about 40.  

 

 

[Sulla80]

On 5/18/2023 at 6:20 PM, Marsyas Mike said:

I almost never go above $50 for a coin, but this one was an exception - a cistaphoric tetradrachm that wasn't too horrible-looking.  It was a lot of fun to attribute, and I hope @Sulla80 and @DonnaMLsee this post, as they have posted some very informative and interesting things about these on CT.  

Anyway, if I have my attribution correct, this one may have been issued in Tralles for Mithridates during the First Mithrdatic War (Lucia Francesca Carbone article is where I got this - see below).  

Here's mine - $99.99, not including shipping and state tax:

Tralles, Lydia  Cistophoric Tetradrachm Magistrate Atta -  (c. 89-85 B.C.) See notes. Cista mystica with serpent, ivy wreath with fruits around / [T]PAΛ | ATTA, two serpents around bow case, Dionysos standing right holding thyrsos and grapes, panther at feet. (12.49 grams / 24 x 23 mm) eBay April 2023 $99.99

Hi @Marsyas Mike, just catching up on this thread, congrats on a good buy and an interesting tetradrachm!   My notes on these coins with some references that may be useful to you can be found here:

https://www.sullacoins.com/post/romans-in-asia-minor-cistophori

Fun to see all the coins in the under $100 category.  Here's a recent favorite - which I think is stunning for $20 including postage.

Islamic Abbasid, Madinat al-Salam mint, al-Mahdi AH 158-169, Dated AH 159, AR Dirham 24mm, 2.94g

Edited June 25, 2023 by Sulla80

[Amarmur]

Wow great coins everyone.

Here is my new Carus. I sold my other Carus to get this one for almost the same price (a little more) but a worthy price. I paid $59 for this beauty. Chocolate brown and a rare emperor can't go wrong. Barrack emperors during the crisis of the 3rd century for the most part are plentiful due to high inflation. It really makes me wonder how on earth do these coins survive so well. When looking at US large cents (especially early 1800s and earlier) so many of them like a solid majority have environmental damage or look older than many ancient coins lol. Ancients made things built to last haha

[Marsyas Mike]

How about an eBay fake for $20.00?  A Lucius Verus denarius with Providentia - I really like this one, fake or not, and I believe it is at least an ancient fake - the portrait is fantastic, with a bit of an Eastern drachm flair to it, I think (it supposedly came from Istanbul - see below).  It doesn't seem to be plated (fourree) so I'm calling it a "limes" for lack of anything better, though most limes are usually base metal, and this one seems to be at least somewhat silver (with great toning - my top photo lightened it up some - the bottom photo is more what it really looks like). 

The reason I know it is a fake is that the obverse legend ARMENIACVS was never found with the Providentia standing types, and the TR P numbers are not matching either (see notes below).  

Lucius Verus   Limes Denarius (c. 161-162 / 163-185 A.D.) Imitation of Rome Mint L VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS, laureate head right / PROV DEOR TR P II COS II, Providentia standing left, holding globe on extended right hand and cornucopiae in left hand (2.89 grams / 18 x 16 mm) eBay June 2023 $20.00

Note:  Unofficial counterfeit.  ARMENIACVS not used with Providentia reverse; 16 issues all TR P III-V, not TR P II, dated 163-165 A.D.

Providentia PROV DEOR not used with ARMENIACVS. PROV DEOR TR P II types: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 482 through 485 (various legends, busts; all dated 161-162 A.D.)

 Provenance:  Purchased from an eBay seller selling mostly US coins.  The coin came in a flip with these notes in pen:  Purchased at St. Sophia Church Istanbul / Roman Silver 100 AD - per Dimos Vafiadis authentic - Delphi

Here's the flip it came in with the "authentic guarantee" - online searches for a Mr. Vafiadis with coin connections were fruitless: 

I realize this is the sort of coin that gives people fits about buying eBay ancients, but if the price is right, I find this kind of thing to be a lot of fun.  Any thoughts on this, or others like it, most welcome.  

 

[seth77]

Nobody wanted this tetradrachm for 10EUR, but I figured it's a nice portrait and the reverse is not that bad either. 

 

It's a Macrinus and looks like it has been in a collection for some time, the surface is pleasantly toned despite the obvious flaws. It was struck on a short flan, which is rather normal for 217. 

I like it a lot.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by seth77