How to Collect Ancient Coins

Collecting ancient coins can be both awe-inspiring and exciting. Imagine owning a coin struck before the time of Christ, and actually holding it in your hand, instead of looking at it in a museum case!

How to Collect Ancient Coins

Because ancients are the basis for all modern coinage, it is an important area of numismatics. Most collectors choose coins based on obverse designs, though some enjoy collecting the various reverse designs as well. While it is possible to collect coins from nearly all of the Roman emperors, some are difficult to find because the emperors ruled for such a short time.

One of the most popular ways to collect ancient Roman coins is by emperor, as most bear a portrait of the issuing ruler. In fact, some rulers are only known to us today because of their portrait coins, and sometimes these coins provide archaeologists with a means of dating a site. As you build your collection of ancient Roman coins, you'll enjoy an amazing variety of portraits spanning more than 500 years, and uncover the incredible stories of the men and women that they portray!

To see all of the ancient coins available, see our Ancients, Antiquities, and Medieval section.