r/AncientCoins May 07 '24

We've been getting a lot of new posters and commenters here lately. Welcome! (Everyone please read the full text inside)

146 Upvotes

Unfortunately, a lot of the new people here aren't familiar with the culture of this subreddit or the ancient coin collecting world in general.

A lot of the ideas that you are bringing to this subreddit -- especially if you're North American and also especially if you've been collecting modern coins for years, don't always carry over directly to the world of ancient coin collecting.

Our subreddit is configured so that people using low-age or low-karma accounts will not see their posts and comments appear here immediately after you make them. They are being set aside until a human moderator is able to review them manually. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

The same is true of people who don't have much karma on this subreddit, even if you have an older account and have accumulated lots of karma on other subreddits. Part of this is because spammers, scammers, and trolls use newer, low-karma accounts, and part of it is to give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the culture of this subreddit.

We have also configured our subreddit to hold back posts and comments from accounts with a low Contributor Quality Score ("CQS") as determined by the admins of reddit. This takes into account your behavior on all of reddit. If you would like to find out what your own CQS score is please make a post on this subreddit -- /r/CQS. The result will be sent to you within seconds via private messaging, and no one else will be able to see what it is.

As you continue to participate here in good faith most of these limitations will eventually no longer apply to you, and you will be able to post and comment normally.



Thank you for your good faith participation here, and while I have your attention please allow me to remind you of this subreddit's few simple rules:

1) Civility is the price of participation here. Please act like adults and keep things pleasant.

We appreciate kindness and helpfulness here. We won't tolerate people bickering in the comments, swearing at or insulting others, etc.

We have a lot of people coming to r/AncientCoins from the world of modern ones. Please help them understand the differences and find answers to their questions without being a jerk. If you can't manage that we don't want you here, and you will be banned.

2) Unwelcome participants get banned.

Pursuant to Rule #1, the owner/founder/head moderator of this subreddit reserves the right to ban anyone at anytime for any reason he sees fit.

We very rarely ban real people - and we ban no one who is acting in good faith. We mostly only ban annoying bots, karma whores, griefers who post using numerous alt accounts, people who post coins that they don't own but act as if they did, people who swear at or are rude/insulting to others, and persistent trolls who disrupt our discussions.

3) Memes, joke posts & other shitposts may only be posted here on the last day of each month.

Fun is fun, but there's such a thing as too much of an execrable thing. Memes, joke posts, and other shitposts may only be posted on this subreddit on the last day of each Gregorian calendar month in your time zone.

Please don't try to sneak those kinds of posts in by flairing them as "educational" or anything else. If you just can't wait, please submit them over on our companion subreddit /r/AncientCoinMemes instead.

Ultimately, the mods of this subreddit may remove anything posted here at their discretion.


We ask that you please be patient with the process, as we check our queues several times a day. If you make a post or comment and it isn't immediately approved, PLEASE just leave it up and one of us will get to it as soon as we can. We are unpaid volunteers doing this on our own time.

Thank you.


r/AncientCoins Jun 12 '25

New rule regarding the use of ChatGPT, other LLMs, and the deceptive use of AI imagery on this subreddit

87 Upvotes

It has actually been a policy here for years that we don't permit ChatGPT-type posts. In the past they were usually just quietly removed, as were AI-generated images that were used deceptively.

It feels like we already have too many rules on this subreddit, but it looks like it's time to join other subreddits by implementing this one.

One issue is that these LLM generated texts aren't automatically vetted for accuracy, and some weird and unreliable stuff can creep in. Another is that they are based on plagiarism.

They often give results that feel like a bad student trying to pad out the word count of a writing assignment, and don't actually contribute much to this subreddit.

It seems like some people here, when they are bored, entertain themselves by feeding prompts into ChatGPT and then posting the results here. Sometimes they do this as conversation starters, but sometimes it feels like they are just trying to show off or something.

Speaking of plagiarism -- which is bad, it is fine to post a paragraph or two of relevant information here that you have found online, if you give appropriate credit and a link.

It's also fine to quote text from a relevant book or journal with appropriate credit. Many reddit users are more likely to give a brief glance at something that you have copied and pasted here than they would be to follow a link and read extensively off-site.

What's not great is if you post massive walls of text, unless the information is presented well and is relevant to our discussions, and not padded out.

If you feel that you simply MUST use an LLM for grammar and spelling purposes, do it well. Make it undetectable. Consider quoting Wikipedia or another reliable and curated online reference instead.

If you are using an LLM as a translator, that is fine. Just make it a translation of your own, unpadded words. Consider using DeepL or Google Translate instead.

Speaking of walls of text, I'll end here.

Thank you.


r/AncientCoins 3h ago

From My Collection 1,700+ years old and still looking sharp. My Aurelian radiate

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35 Upvotes

Aurelian is my favorite Roman Emperor and I'm very happy to have such a beautiful coin of his. This coin is billon (bronze with a small percentage of silver).

Some info about the man himself:

Aurelian became emperor in AD 270, when the Roman Empire had split into three parts. Gaul, Rome, and Palmyra.

In just five years, he defeated the breakaway empires in Gaul and Palmyra and brought Rome back together, earning the title Restitutor Orbis, “Restorer of the World" in Latin. Sadly he was assassinated by his own men.


r/AncientCoins 16h ago

I started a Roman bronze spare change cup for my desk.

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191 Upvotes

Good evening and I hope you all are well. Like the title says, I’m starting a Roman bronze coin display cup for my desk. These are all my not very nice Roman bronze coins. I thought the cup would look more full. I need to buy a junk lot of bronze. I bought the pottery at an arts fair a couple weeks ago.


r/AncientCoins 1h ago

Information Request Control mark, unknown. Ideas?

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Upvotes

I recently acquired this Pub. Crepusius fouree denarius and I have been unable identify the control mark. I have looked through lots of literature, written in Italian, and still cant find one that matches. Thoughts? Leads? Could it be not noted anywhere because it is a forgery? Any help would be appreciated.


r/AncientCoins 1h ago

ID / Attribution Request Is there any identifying this coin..?

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Upvotes

Weight is about 16g

Diameter is 26mm

I tried tracing what I could but, it isn't easy to see


r/AncientCoins 19h ago

Maximian

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136 Upvotes

I like this one. You too?


r/AncientCoins 17h ago

From My Collection Ptolemy I Soter Tetradrachm

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65 Upvotes

Alexandria mint

289-288 BC

Coin signed by the engraver. Small Δ behind ear.


r/AncientCoins 3h ago

Advice Needed Anyone recognize this countermark?

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4 Upvotes

I just got my first ancient coin delivered, and absolutely love it :)

Had no luck finding information on the counter marks and wondering if anyone knows them, especially the small one on the obverse seems quite distinct, like some kind of letter.


r/AncientCoins 22h ago

Educational Post Gulbenkian Coin Collection 3D Gallery

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118 Upvotes

Hi All,

The first portion of a digitization project that I was involved with has gone live on Sketchfab. Many people on this sub will know the Gulbenkian collection through the lovely books published on their Greek coins or from the collection's 11 Abukir medallions. The gallery also includes lots of other items from the collection that are not numismatic. If you find yourself in Lisbon, don't miss the newly remodeled Gulbenkian Museum. What I have seen of the new coin room is impressive.

Enjoy!

https://sketchfab.com/gulbenkian/models

NOTE: alt+mouse click and scroll to move the light source

Some screen caps from the gallery:


r/AncientCoins 4h ago

Caw Caw

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3 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins 22h ago

Auction / Shop Info Three Generations of Berk’s

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84 Upvotes

Dropped by to meet Aaron this week at his office at Harlan J. Berk. Had an enjoyable conversation with Harlan, who is still very sharp despite being in his 80s. We sat around the exact same table, still in the same spot where I bought my first ancient coin 20+ years ago. He told me the story of how he acquired the business that would later be known as Harlan J. Berk Ltd. Was nice enough to show me a collection they recently bought and haven’t cataloged yet. Got the full tour including the famed vault! Aaron as usual was a class act.

The real prize was this photo. Harlan, Aaron and Aaron’s son who helps develop the Podcast. Three generations of Berk’s. This one will be printed and go on my desk.


r/AncientCoins 9h ago

ID / Attribution Request Attribution of Roman Coin Needed

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6 Upvotes

Can someone please help me attribute this coin? It's a Roman bronze, bust has a long neck. Any info is helpful, thank you.


r/AncientCoins 1d ago

Newly Acquired Gordian III Antoninianus

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99 Upvotes

LIBERALITAS AVG III


r/AncientCoins 6h ago

Cheap Roman change

3 Upvotes

Hello all, I am together with my children very passionate about roman Times and somehow artifacts from this time have looked unaccessible... But now I see from this sub that there are many accessible bronze coins that can be even be bought very cheap as bulk. In the normal coin stores (Germany) this is not the case and you have only the fancy (and expensive) ones to buy.

Do you have any recommendations where I could buy some cheap nevertheless good looking ones in Germany, this would definitely make a great gift to my little historians.

Many thanks and best regards


r/AncientCoins 1d ago

Islamic Civilisation Centre - Uzbekistan (Ancient Coin Display)

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70 Upvotes

Ancient coins form a significant part of the ancient history segment of the newly opened Islamic Civilisation Centre. It was very interesting with many examples of coins and interesting displays. I liked how they used blown up models of coins to illustrate the timeline above the other displays of material culture.


r/AncientCoins 21h ago

Newest lifetime drachma

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31 Upvotes

MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AR drachm (17mm, 12h). Lifetime issue of Magnesia ad Maeandrum, ca. 325-323 BC. Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied before neck / AΛEΞANΔPOY, Zeus seated left on backless throne, left leg drawn back, feet on stool, eagle in right hand, scepter in left; head of bull facing with left downturned and right upturned horn in left field. Price 1934. Extremely rare, not plated in Price.


r/AncientCoins 1d ago

Newly Acquired Finally acquired: Neapolis didrachm/nomos

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43 Upvotes

After a long time finally got myself one with a good portrait on the obverse. Probably overpaid a fair bit (190) but got carried away during the bids. Still really happy so totally worth it!


r/AncientCoins 18h ago

ID / Attribution Request Need help with id of this Ptolemy II obol

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13 Upvotes

The only info I got on this particular coin is:

EGYPT ANCIENT AE PTOLEMY II. 285-246 B.C. ZEUSS / EAGLE 30MM 17.93G

Any more information, and maybe, how to identify this as a coin by Ptolemy II, are much appreciated!


r/AncientCoins 14h ago

Is this a Barbarous Radiate?

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7 Upvotes

I'm new to the hobby and learning as much as I can as fast as I can. Trying to learn more about this coin and can't seem to find it.


r/AncientCoins 19h ago

Old collection

12 Upvotes

Hi
my name is Garry. Back in 2000 I was an avid Roman coin collector. I am now 75 and no longer have an interest in collecting. I have an approximately 400 unattributed coins, a small collection of attributed. I have as of 2000 a complete set of RIC. Also a copy ERIC. Also a few other reference books .
i would like to sell everything. What is the best way?


r/AncientCoins 21h ago

Found some great provenance on the Quadrigatus I recently acquired. Lot 391

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13 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins 17h ago

Is this fouree of the coin in the photos or coroded silver?

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8 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins 14h ago

From My Collection My Trajan Denarius

3 Upvotes

Trajan (98-117 AD) AR Denarius, Felicitas

https://reddit.com/link/1v3wxp1/video/x7bslq379veh1/player


r/AncientCoins 13h ago

Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich and EU?

2 Upvotes

Hello.
May I ask if you have any experience from Numismatica Ars Classica Zurich? I live in Greece and won a coin on the last auction. Want to know what to expect.
Will I pay taxes / customs etc? Do you have any experience from an other country of EU?
Thanks in advance.