RCC/Four New/Reprinted References on Ancient Roman Coins

Four New/Reprinted References
on
Ancient Roman Coins

by Paul Landsberg

The traditional conundrum is that as long as there are no quality and affordable reference books on a given collectible, that collectible will have an extremely thin collector base. The "chicken and egg" of this conundrum is that a quality reference book cannot truly be affordable unless there is a relatively significant collector base. Now; being surround by currency collectors, beanie baby collectors, and "that modem stuff" a collector might be inclined to think that collecting ancient coins would be painfully difficult without the help of an equivalent to the U.S. Red Book. Well the good news is that over the three-year period spanning 1999, 2000, and 2001, four quality and affordable references have been reprinted!

Before I delve into the particulars, I've always found it to be true that once I have gotten comfortable with a reference, whether that is Coin World, Red Book, or Grey Sheet, I tend to fall into having a "go to" reference. Quite simply, when I see an item I want to attribute, valuate, or read further on, I tend to reach for one book first. No matter if that reference is limited or outdated, it is usually the first in line to be leafed through. I'm fairly certain that the Red Book maintains such widespread popularity due to it being the "go to" book for thousands and thousands of collectors of United States coinage. However; with the recent release of 4 very good books on collecting ancient Roman coins, now is the time to expand your interests (forgive the plug for ancient coins!!)

THE REFERENCES:

The closest thing Roman coin collectors had to a Red Book was "Roman Coins and Their Values, by David R. Sear. The 4th edition was reprinted in 1988 and the first volume of his updated book is being offered at pre-publication prices now! The second volume is due out in 2001. This book is very similar to the Red Book in that is gives a small history/ biography of the different emperors, lists a representative sample of coins (Rome produced thousands more varieties than the United States), and a valuation for each in Very Fine condition. All but the most novice of collectors understand that the valuations assigned by David Sear are now 12 years old and created before huge hoards of coins from Eastern Europe entered the market. Clearly his valuations can only be ueed as rarity indicators and even then, cautiously since hoards can dramatically reduce the value of certain coins. The 4th edition can generally be found for $75 and the new two volume set will probably retail for around $160. The two volume set is not merely a reprint but a major update and reorganization of the 4th edition.

There was a surge of excitement in the Roman coin collecting market when it became known that David Van Meter was reprinting his book, "The Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins - A Complete Guide to he History, Types and Values of Roman Imperial Coinage." Previously released in 1981, this book was so heavily sought after by collectors who had heard high praises about the book, it sold for upwards of $125 in online auctions. The book is approximately 300 pages and somewhat similar to Roman Coins and Their Values in that it gives a small history/biography of the different emperors and time periods and then lists a representative sample of coins and a valuation for each. Note that Van Meter's valuations are in Rarity Bands and not in dollar amounts. In card cover format, this book currently retails at $35 and can be found with 20% discounts regularly. The book released in 2000 is a pure reprint of the 1991 edition.

The most available book is "The Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins" by Zander H. Kllawans. This book is available in book barns (Barnes and Noble, Border Books, etc.) throughout the nation. The book does an excellent job of introducing Roman coinage and the emperors. Although profusely illustrated and quite extensive, the book is a starter book that quickly runs out of gas once you start acquiring Roman coins. The book can be purchased on Amazon.com for less than $15.

One book that created another stir in the ancient coin collecting market was released in 1999. The book, "Coinage and History of the Roman Empire" by David Vagi was eagerly awaited by many since David Vagi is a widely respected author who has been published in many journals and newspapers.

The two-volume set indeed does spend far more time exploring the history surrounding the coins of Rome. David's book caused some controversy through his use of new terms for some denominations. His arguments for the new terms are still contested. Vagi's book retails for $95 and can be readily found with 15% discounts.

The above four books represent the culmination of tens of thousands of hours of research, categorization, and valuation. To be able to purchase a vast repository of knowledge for less than $300 is absolutely amazing. To be able to purchase a book on collecting ancient coins and an identifiable, readable and eye pleasing (very fine) ancient coin for less than $25 (e.g. Klawans and a late Roman bronze) is similarly amazing. So, to cop a phrase from the high tech industry, "Where do you want to go today?"

The RCC grants permission to reprint any articles not copyrighted by the author for non-profit educational purposes only, provided the Raleigh Coin Club and the author are cited as the original source.