| IntroductionThis is a very interesting
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| | years before one becomes available.Greek
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| and unfortunately, a very difficult
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| | Empirei) AdvantagesAn immediate advantage
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| question to answer.Unlike other
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| | to the collector is that he/she has much
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| numismatic areas, ancient numismatics has
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| | scope for collecting as there is a more
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| a diverse range of coins from a diverse
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| | diverse range of coin types
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| range of cultures spanning over a
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| | availalble.Also Greek coins come in the
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| thousand years.This figure is
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| | most fascinating variety of shapes and
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| unfathomable when you compare it to a
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| | forms. A collector on a tight budge may
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| "modern" collecting interest such as
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| | survive by purchasing common coins such
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| Australian pre-decimal coins which only
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| | as obols fromcommon areas and/or mints.
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| span a little over fifty years.This
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| | However, unlike with Roman coins, that
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| article is not intended to provide a
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| | does not mean that the collector will
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| comprehensive answer to the question
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| | never come accross coins with exquisite
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| posed, but outline a quick sketch of the
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| | designs. In fact, most greek coins
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| options available to you as well as their
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| | contain amazing depictions of
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| respective advantages and
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| | mythological scenes and/or gods,
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| disadvantages.Initial QuestionsOne of the
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| | goddessess, kings and queens. This is
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| first things you must ask yourself before
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| | quite different from the standard Emperor
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| making any purchases, is what area of
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| | Obverse and standard (for common coins
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| ancient coins interests you? As a new
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| | anyway) reverses for the coins of the
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| collector, you are prone to giving into
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| | Roman Empire.ii) DisadvantagesThe
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| temptation and purchasing every "pretty"
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| | extraordinary range of coin types
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| coin that passes your way. This is a
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| | availabe makes it extremely difficult for
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| quick way to run out of much-needed funds
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| | the collector to frame his
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| and only leads to regret later on down
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| | collection.Also, Greek coins tend to get
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| the track.Regarding ancient numismatics,
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| | expensive quite quickly. If you are
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| the first question I would recommend
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| | collecting bronze coins, you will delight
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| asking yourself is what empire you'd like
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| | in the sheer number of coins available to
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| to collect from. There are several
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| | you for only a few dollars. However, if
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| advantages and disadvantages of each but
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| | you progress to silver coins, you will
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| it all depends on your individual taste.
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| | quickly find that some coins will never
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| I will run through these advantages and
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| | be in your price range.Byzantine Empirei)
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| adisadvantages individually.Roman
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| | AdvantagesLike Roman Coins, Byzantine
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| Empirei) AdvantagesThere are many
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| | coins are cheaper than greek coins. In
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| advantages in collecting Roman coins.
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| | particular, Byzantine cup coins in VF
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| First of all they are cheaper. Don't
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| | condition can be foundeBay for as little
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| misinterpret this statement though, there
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| | as $US 2.00 each. Gold and silver coins
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| are many Roman coins that will be out of
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| | are also generally cheaper than the
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| your price range, but as a general
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| | average Roman Solidus or Aureus.ii)
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| assumption this holds true. Compared to
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| | DisadvantagesTo the untrained eye,
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| Greek coins, uncleaned Roman coins are
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| | Byzantine coins of the same type are
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| always cheaper, third to 5th century
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| | virtually indistinguishable from one
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| coins are always cheaper than the
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| | another. This makes attribution an
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| "typical" greek coin, and even silver
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| | extremely difficult process.Also, the
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| roman coins are cheaper than greek silver
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| | style is cruder, and do not match the
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| coins.Also, Roman coins are easier to
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| | celatorship found in the Greek and Roman
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| attribute and to follow generally. Roman
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| | Empires.Uncleaned Coinsi) AdvantagesThe
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| Imperial coins have the emperor on the
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| | main advantage is that at face value,
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| obverse 99% of the time and thus you
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| | they are cheaper. This should not be the
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| almost always know at which part of the
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| | main consideration of the collector,
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| Roman Empire you are,
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| | unless he/she is working with an
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| chronologically-speaking. Also, later
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| | extremely limited budget, because it is
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| roman coins were minted during a period
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| | an often misleading point. The statement
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| where there was an elaborate mint-mark
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| | does not take into accound the
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| system. This means that not only can you
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| | opportunity cost of cleaning coins.
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| attribute the coin much easier, you can
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| | Cleaning coins takes time and patience
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| even attribute it right down to the mint
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| | and in those many hours, the collector
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| itself (and even further!!!)Another
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| | may have instead chosen to work a few
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| advantage is that Roman coins are
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| | extra hours to increase his/her wages.
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| generally found in higher grades than
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| | However, there are collectors who manage
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| Greek coins. A quick search on your
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| | to efficiently refine their cleaning
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| favourite coin sites, or even indeed eBay
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| | techniques and thus decrease this
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| will readily confirm this.Another
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| | opportunity cost.Another advantage
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| advatange, though this is a moot point,
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| | though, is that by cleaning and
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| is that it is easier to determine whether
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| | attributing the coins, the collector
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| a Roman coin is authentic or not. This is
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| | finds that he/she is able to learn a
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| because generally-speaking, Roman coins
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| | great deal about ancient numismatics and
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| feature a known and familiar styles, thus
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| | history in and fun and enoyable way.A
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| easily identifiable to the collector.
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| | fundamental advantage to collecting
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| Regarding later issues, the design
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| | uncleaned coins however, is that there is
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| becomes so simplistic that any deviations
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| | a chance that the collector may stumble
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| from the original style are pretty
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| | across rare and even unique types. It is
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| evident to the average collector.ii)
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| | not uncommon for a collector to find an
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| DisadvantagesCompared to Greek coins,
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| | unpublished coin type in a large
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| Roman coins are not as diverse in styles
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| | uncleaned lot.ii) DisadvantagesContrary
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| and types. Also, arguably speaking, Greek
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| | to any claims by dealers, uncleaned coins
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| coins on average exhibit greater artistic
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| | are "cherry-picked" 100% of the time. The
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| style. Certainly the classical period
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| | coins have passed through several hands
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| features coins that near
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| | usually, before they land in the
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| perfection.Another disadvantage is that
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| | collector's.Also, larger uncleaned coins
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| many emperors are simply beyond the
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| | are almost never in great condition.Well,
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| collectors reach, if not for their
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| | that's it, hopefully this article helps
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| incredible expense, then for their
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| | you get on your way and forming your
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| immense rarity. For some emperors
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| | collection.
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| empresses, a collector may have to wait
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