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)

145 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

90 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 • • 8h ago

GALERIUS

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108 Upvotes

Wanted to show a coin which I truly adore.


r/AncientCoins • • 7h ago

Finally got vittelus

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43 Upvotes

I know it's not much, but I finally got a civil war issue at a great price (10$) I am so happy


r/AncientCoins • • 8h ago

Insane CNG hammers

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48 Upvotes

Watched some people go ham on a random Saturninus and Norbanus RRs. The same Norbanus hammered at $1,100 last October! What in the world...


r/AncientCoins • • 9h ago

Vespasian's denarius

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48 Upvotes

Hello, I would appreciate your opinions regarding the authenticity of this Vespasian denarius. Thank you for your responses.


r/AncientCoins • • 14h ago

Picked this up for an absolute steal at Nomos

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118 Upvotes

Crazy to think there can somehow be uncirculated-grade coins of this age still (I know UNC doesn't literally mean it never left the mint and into people's hands but still)


r/AncientCoins • • 15h ago

I bought an Authentic Ancient Greek Coin for $20 ?

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71 Upvotes

About 5 years ago one of my fiends asked me if I wanted to buy a chain and pendant that he found. Anyways, I looked at it and this coin was in the gold pendant with a figaro gold chain. I ended up buying it because I thought it looked cool. After buying it I started examining it and the chain. Turns out, the chain and the pendant piece were both 18k gold. Got a nice $2500 for the gold. I’ve been researching this coin and I know it’s an
ancient Greek silver nomos (didrachm) from the city of Taras (Tarentum). And I know the magistrate from that specific time period is at the bottom of the back of the coin. But, could anyone with a little more knowledge give me a bit better estimate of the price. From what I see it can range from $250 to $3,500 USD. I’d appreciate the help. (P.S. this is legitimately one of the luckiest things that has ever happened to me. $2500 from the gold was crazy. I told my friend that I bought it from and he was EXTREMELY PISSED. He found it outside of a Saks Fifth Avenue in the parking lot😂)


r/AncientCoins • • 5h ago

Authentication Request Help with estimating the type and age of my Attic tetradrachm

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11 Upvotes

Trying to identify this type of Attic tetradrachm has been a real headache, as I cannot find any close matches regarding certain features.

On the obverse, the line from the forehead to the nose is very straight; the eye is small and has a serene appearance, and the mouth is small in proportion to the size of the bust.

The reverse is the most puzzling part: while the owl is fine, the issue lies with the tiny crescent moon and—most importantly—the inscription "AOE." It appears small and widely spaced; the "O" lacks the characteristic dot in its center, and the "E" is missing one of its strokes.


r/AncientCoins • • 6h ago

How can I safely remove the gray discoloration from this coin without damaging its original surface?

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11 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for advice on how to safely remove the gray discoloration from the surface of this coin without affecting its original patina, details, or surface texture.

Is there a safe method to remove this gray layer while preserving the coin's original surface completely?

I would really appreciate advice from experienced coin collectors and conservators.

Thank you in advance!


r/AncientCoins • • 8h ago

newp

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15 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins • • 1h ago

Advice Needed Alternative auction houses?

• Upvotes

Hi, until recently I’ve been bidding on CNG auctions, but the tariffs on coins coming to Canada from the US (even though there shouldn’t be any!), has chilled my interest in US-based purchases.

Are there any reputable sites in the UK worth checking out?

TIA


r/AncientCoins • • 8h ago

Help with attribution

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11 Upvotes

Can you help me attribute this… I bought it in a whim at auction and have nothing written about it. Thank you so much in advance 🙏

34.87 grams and approximately 35.5mm diameter


r/AncientCoins • • 9h ago

ID / Attribution Request Hemiobol/Tetartemorion id

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10 Upvotes

Hello, I am having trouble identyfing this coin. Any help would be appreciated.


r/AncientCoins • • 3h ago

ID / Attribution Request ID help

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3 Upvotes

I think I posted this before,but can't find it. Someone said one of the constans. What's the reverse called with the 2 guys. Maybe a mint? Thanks for any assistance.


r/AncientCoins • • 9h ago

From My Collection My Otho example

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8 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins • • 1h ago

Information Request Question about this coin

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• Upvotes

I'm fairly certain it's an Obol struck in Sidon somewhere around 350 BC.

I hope someone with more insight could please help answer the question: Are the triangular pieces, missing strike cracks or are they "clippings" for lack of a better term?

Thank you in advance.

Around 9 mm, silver Obol.


r/AncientCoins • • 12h ago

From My Collection Extremely Rough but one of my favorites, Roman Republic Semis C. Cluvius Saxula with Original Auction envelope from 1969

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15 Upvotes

Head of Saturn Obverse, Ship Prow reverse

This sub shows off a lot of beautiful amazing coins so I thought I'd change it up by showing off my favorite lump of old metal

looks marginally better in person, I collect a lot of budget roman republic coins because honesty the history of the item matters a lot more to me than the condition and this is one of my favorites, the auction sleeve adds a ton to it for me.


r/AncientCoins • • 1d ago

Not My Own Coin(s) Had some fun at the British Museum

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171 Upvotes

Here is a bunch of the coins that made my jaw drop a couple of times; all stunning pieces with THREE dekadrachms of Syracuse stealing the show. I was quite enraptured by them and it was really funny to notice the stream of people flowing around me while I was stuck to the display trying to absorb as much as I could before moving on to the next one.

I wish I could tell you the attribution of each of these coins, but I'm way too much of a noob to be able to do this (I'm still training my eye). If someone wants to take up the challenge, extra difficult since there are only obverses or reverses, please do so because I'm curious as well, as the museum was scarce on details!

I was truly impressed by the showcased pieces, although I must complain that they could use a better way of being displayed (closer to the face, maybe a magnifier, more detailed labels!).


r/AncientCoins • • 12h ago

One of my few ancients

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8 Upvotes

r/AncientCoins • • 11h ago

ID / Attribution Request Please help ID this Judaean prutah

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8 Upvotes

Hi guys, I can't identify this Judaean prutah so I'm asking you guys for help, I don't know which ruler to attribute it to, thanks for all help!


r/AncientCoins • • 7h ago

Any clue what this might be?

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3 Upvotes

I am at al loss honestly. Can't even figure out the orientation or what it's supposed to represent


r/AncientCoins • • 1d ago

PHILIPPOS II

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190 Upvotes

One of the beauties I got! Do you like it too?


r/AncientCoins • • 10h ago

ID / Attribution Request Need ID?

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4 Upvotes

Is it Claudius II Gothicus?


r/AncientCoins • • 3h ago

Help ID? Over Struck coin?

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1 Upvotes

AE 18.4mm 4.44gm. HELP!