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Primus Pilus

Dirty Old Coins

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Yes its a simple web site, but the folks at Dirty Old Coins specialize in the simple uncleaned coin. They are great for getting started in the hobby or just for a bit of fun and can be had for relatively cheap. As a bonus they don't make the claims of many dealers that gold and silver coins will be found in their lots (NEVER buy from a dealer who claims that). I've bought a few myself from DOC and they are pleasure to do business with.

 

Dirty Old Coins

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I refer people to my entry on the subject 'Roman Coins for Sale', Trajans Market.

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Many arheological sites of the dacians have been destroyed by people searching for gold koson (dacian coins) using metal detectors.

It's estimated that many more coins have been digged illegally that by arheolgists. The location of many sites in forests and in mountains makes effective policing very hard.

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I want to doubt that an ancient coin(s) of historical value is of two dollars in value. I looked into the 'auction' and didn't believe my eyes- or the sellers.

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I have always wanted to start collecting Roman coins. I was planning on getting a coin of the British usurper Allectus, but I can never be sure if they are real or not. The last thing I want to do is purchase a rather expensive set of coins only to realise that they are all fakes.

 

I wish there was a way of finding out if a coin is real or not.

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I wish there was a way of finding out if a coin is real or not.

 

For the average collector, its all about trusting a reputable dealer. How you determine the criteria for that is up to you, but there are plenty out there. The best way to get started is to find a brick and mortar shop in your area... walk in, browse around and just talk to the guys to get a feel for everything. (Preferably when the shop isn't busy of course). If you prefer net shopping, try to avoid ebay when you start. There are many reputable dealers on ebay but you might not know who they are for sometime. I personally recommend www.vcoins.com which is a collection of many dealers selling their wares in one huge online catalog.

 

There are ways to have coins authenticated, but it sometimes can be more expensive than the coin itself

 

However, here is a list of professional condition graders and authenticators... http://rg.ancients.info/guide/slabs.html

Scroll to the very bottom for ancient coin specific groups.

 

David Sears' service... a prominent numismatic expert and author of many books on the subject, charges $35 for standard service, but it is not an actual guarantee of authenticity in his case.

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Thank you Primus! I have been rather weary of Ebay.

 

With good reason. Ebay is wonderful for many people in many different venues, but it can also be rather problematic in certain fields. The 'regulars' seem to do a decent job of policing such things, but they can't all be stopped.

 

I hope that helps you out at least a bit.

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