What was your first ancient coin?

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

So, I made this meme for fun:

For lack of space I didn’t add a Caracalla nor a Vespasian / Nero, but it should basically cover most of the ‘firsts’.

My first coin was a LRB from Constantius II:

(Colorisation pending)

Bought on impulse, because I couldn’t believe I could own an ancient coin.

My actual ‘thought out first’ was an Alexander lifetime Tetradrachm from Babylon:

What was your first coin? Are you part of ‘the gang’? 🙂

Edited December 1, 2024 by AncientCoinnoisseur
Specified ancient

[Croatian Coin Collector]

The first coin I bought was an Austro-Hungarian Gold 10 Crown of Franz Joseph I (minted in Kremnica in 1912).

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

@Croatian Coin Collector Nice! What about your first ancient? 🙂 (I edited the title to specify it!)

[ewomack]

I still have the first ancient coin I ever purchased. It's below. I paid almost nothing for it and had absolutely no idea what I bought. It sat in a box that said something like "bargain ancients," and it looked like one of the nicer ones in the pile. The green on the back seems stable, but I check on it once in a while. Though it's not the prettiest thing ever seen, it did spark my interest in ancients. And I learned something about Probus as well.

Probus AE Antoninianus. Antioch, 281 AD. IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, radiate draped bust right / CLEMENTIA TEMP, Probus standing right, holding sceptre, receiving Victory from Jupiter standing left, holding sceptre. Officina letter in lower centre. Mintmark XXI. Ric 921, Bust type C

[Croatian Coin Collector]

32 minutes ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

@Croatian Coin Collector Nice! What about your first ancient? 🙂 (I edited the title to specify it!)

It depends on how you define "ancient", the first coin I bought that was over 1000 years old was an Umayyad Gold Dinar of al-Walid I from the early 8th century.

[CPK]

I jumped off the deep end with my first ancient coin. 😄

TIBERIUS, AD 14-37
AR Denarius (18.61mm, 3.72g, 12h)
Struck AD 16-21. Lugdunum mint
Obverse: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, laureate head of Tiberius right
Reverse: PONTIF MAXIM, female figure seated right, holding vertical scepter and branch, on chair with plain legs above double line
References: RIC I 26 (C), RCV 1763
Old cabinet toning with some corrosion pits on reverse. A fine early style portrait of Tiberius.
From the A.K. Collection.
This coin was published in the numismatic journal Money Trend (Jan. 2008 issue), in Dr. Wendelin Kellner's article "Ungewöhnliche und
irreguläre Römermünzen" (page 135, abb. 2)

[JayAg47]

This one,

I used to frequent a community market with my grandpa when I was around 13. Back then, my collection was limited to the circulating commemorative coins. One day, I came across an antiques stall with a bunch of coins for sale, and these were the ones I bought (marked green). The Chola coin above is the only one from that lot that isn’t a fake, so I’d consider that my first true ancient or medieval coin. The Morgans, Walker, and the tortoise were a later eBay purchase that I ended up getting a refund for.

I didn’t start actively collecting until about five years later, and my first real ancient coin was a Syracuse Onkia, which I bought for the octopus design. I was putting together an aquatic-themed set, and the first coin that came up on eBay with an octopus was this one.

But the coin that truly pulled me into the world of ancients was this Ionia 1/12th stater, which I picked up during 2020. I was captivated by the intricate details on the lion's face on such a tiny coin. 

So, I’d say there isn’t one specific coin that kicked off my ancient coin journey!

[Ryro]

The 1st ancient I ever received (it was a gift from my dad) was the Julius Caesar fouree below. I guess you could say a fouree was my foray into ancients! (I'm so sorry for that pun)

AR Denarius fouree 47-46 BCE

2.8 gr 18 MM

Minted in North Africa (Egypt)

Obv, diademed head of Venus

Rev, CAESAR, Aeneas carrying Anchises and palladium.

My first auction win was to celebrate the birth of my twins. I found out quick via Heritage about how much additional fees/juice gets added after a win:

THRACIAN ISLANDS. Thasos. Ca. 463-411 BC. AR 1/16 stater or obol (0.49 gm). VF. Two dolphins swimming in opposite directions; pellets around / Quadripartite incuse square. Le Rider, Thasiennes 9. SNG Copenhagen 1020-1.

My first coin show purchase:

Sicily, Akragas 425-406 BC

Crab, 3 pellets with Cray fish below

Eagle with captured rabbit on reverse

AE 10.3 gr

[DonnaML]

Not counting a few decrepit and barely identifiable LRBs that I bought for something like 25 cents each in a local coin shop as a child in the 1960s, these were the first three ancient coins I bought:

Macedon, Alexander III (under  Philip III Arrhidaeus), AR Drachm, Miletos mint, 323-319 BCE. Obv. Head of beardless Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Rev. Zeus seated left on stool-throne, holding long scepter in left hand, with eagle standing right with closed wings on his right hand; KH monogram (Price Monogram 476) in left field; in right field,  AΛEΞANΔPOY. Price 2121 [Price, M., The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus (London, 1991)]; Pella database at http://numismatics.org/pella/id/price.2121?lang=en; Müller 847 [Müller, L., Numismatique d'Alexandre le Grand; Appendice les monnaies de Philippe II et III, et Lysimaque (Copenhagen, 1855-58)]. 16 mm., 4.21 g. Purchased from Harmer Rooke Numismatists, Ltd., New York City, 21 Feb. 1986. 

Roman Republic, Ti. Veturius, AR Denarius 137 BCE. Obv. Helmeted head of Mars right, TI. VET (monogrammed) and X behind head. / Rev. Youth holding pig, kneeling left, head right, between two soldiers who touch the pig with their swords, ROMA above. RSC I Veturia 1, Crawford 234/1, Sydenham 527, Sear RCV I 111 (ill.), BMCRR Italy 550. 18 mm., 3.8 g. [First Republican denarius to have head of anyone other than Roma on obverse.]  Purchased April 12, 1986 from Sarr Coin Co., Lighthouse Point, FL. 

Trajan Decius AR Antoninianus, 249-251 AD. Obv. Radiate bust right, draped and cuirassed, IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG/ Rev. Uberitas stdg. left, holding purse and cornucopiae, VBERITAS AVG. RIC IV-3 28b, RSC IV 105, Sear RCV III 9384. 23 mm., 4.9 g.  Purchased April 12, 1986 from Sarr Coin Co., Lighthouse Point, FL. 

I still have the receipt for the two Roman coins, which I bought at a coin show in Manhattan along with a 1754 Regensburg city view Thaler:

In 1986, $50 each was probably way too much to pay for those two denarii! It was definitely an impulse purchase.

After that, I bought perhaps ten more ancient coins over the next 30 years, but was concentrating primarily on British coins and historical/commemorative medals, as well as (sporadically) adding to my small collection of antiquities. I didn't begin actively collecting ancient coins until 2017. 

[AncientJoe]

My first ancient coin was a gift ~25 years ago, priced at $40 I believe, which makes it the most overpriced coin in my collection by percentage. At least it came with a classy certificate of authenticity!

[Roman Collector]

My first was this tribute penny, purchased on impulse in the 1980s when I was in grad school. That's why it's my avatar. 

[Gallienus]

A bit worn but it's very good style. Mine were some bronze AE3's & AE4's @ $3 each in a local coin shop near Philly.  Constantine era (4th century). Albagini's Coin Store in Upper Darby, PA.

He had silver denarii at $6 each but by the time I decided to buy one, all the silver had been sold.  That was the only time I ever saw that he had ancients.

Later a bought a Severus Alexander sestersius from CE Bullowa in Philadelphia for $16, ca. 1981.

 

[Phil Anthos]

1988, and my coin shop didn't have the Mercury dimes I needed at a price I could afford. But there in a tray under the glass was an ugly lump of bronze, oddly shaped and very worn... exactly as I expected all ancient coins should look. I was intrigued, and so I blew my budget all to hell and shelled out the $20 to buy an ancient coin.

That was cool, and I only needed the one as an example.  😄😄😄

Ah yes, that plan fell "gang aglee" apparently.

Alaisa, Sicily

circa 340 BC AE22 (22mm, 9.06g) O: Griffin springing left. R: Horse prancing left; [KAINON] in ex.(?) HGC 2, 509 (as Kainon); SNG ANS 1169; Hunter 165,1; Sear 1048; BMC 2 29,6 ex Jack H. Beymer My first ancient coin.

~ Peter 

[-monolith-]

My first coin(s) were a pair of ladies (Julia Domna and  Faustina I):

 

[expat]

My introduction to Ancients was a happy accident. Five years ago I inherited my Father in Law´s collection, which consisted of American and World coinage, and consisted of nearly 3000 coins. I was happy to enjoy those and add some to the collection. Then 2.5 years ago I entered a competition by @Theodosius to win a dupondius of Antoninus Pius, which I won. The coin was previously owned by @Sulls80 and consigned to @JAZ Numismatics . And so this new adventure began which soon became a very enjoyable although slightly addictive.

[Aziz]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on the forum, my first coin that i paid for and not from my father antique collection is this Tetradrachm Amphipolis mint. Struck under Antipater, circa 332-326 BC . i bought it five years ago and sold it after a year as i was collecting WW2 middles and insignia at that time so i didn’t committed to coins ,however currently i'm in serious thinking of collecting coins as i have a soft spot for coins and history behind them specially Greek and Roman so maybe the forum is a start for me learning more and getting familiar with market and dealers . great to be here and keep them coming guys 

[Gallienus]

1 hour ago, Aziz said:

 i'm in serious thinking of collecting coins as i have a soft spot for coins and history behind them specially Greek and Roman 

Hi Aziz

Welcome to the forums. I myself lost interest in my early Greek & Roman holdings & sold many of them too. I began to collect earlier USA coinage.

Then I recovered, sold much of my US and got back into Ancients & World as I love the history & the significance of each piece. Even my lowly Severus Alexander sestersius, bought for $16, has a story to tell.

[Curtisimo]

Nice to see everyone’s first ancient. Mine was an Elagabalas ant and to this day I still have a soft spot for the kooky fella’s coins.