Ancient Coins 101

Ancient coins are fascinating, but there's a pretty big knowledge barrier to getting started and not many resources that really walk you through the absolute basics. That's what this video is for - to give you just enough knowledge to understand what more advanced resources mean by "in exergue," "soldiers with standards," and "RIC number."

~ Links mentioned in video ~
Link 1 - List of common abbreviations

Link 2 - Description of head gear, clothing, etc.

Link 3 - List of mints and some mint marks

Link 4 - General coin anatomy guidance

Link 5 - OCRE

Link 6 - Wildwinds

Link 7 - Downloadable Excel spreadsheets by type

Feel free to share any helpful references you've found in the comments below! Thanks for watching!

[leoborros]

I´ve started collecting ancient coins roughly a year ago and your recommended websites were exactly the ones I´ve looked at when doing my own research. Thats quite a nice introductory guide for beginners and I hope you continue to make videos, good job!

[coinsoftheancientworld]

I learned so much from this video!! I'm fairly new 2 collecting ancient coins and am truly looking forward 2 watching more of ur videos😊

[VRSVLVS]

The "standards" with discs, laurel wreaths and crescents on the coins are known as "Signa" in Latin. Each military unit from Centuri (a unit of 80 soldiers) upwards would have it's own Signum. It is not exactly known what the disks and crescents are supposed to symbolise. It is assumed that they are military decorations of some sort bestowed upon the entire Unit, since they appear very similar to decorations (phalerae) worn by officers.

When you see a standard that has a square piece of cloth hanging from the top, that is a "Vexillum" or flag. Flags were not used back then as we use them todyay. Vexilla denoted custom formations of troops, ranging from small scouting parties of about 20 men or units consisting of multiple cohorts. Basically when a commander needed a custom number of soldiers for a specific tast, a "vexillatio" was formed under a new "vexillum" for that purpose, and the soldiers would be absorbed back into their regular units after the mission was over. My guess is that pieces of cloth were used to represent these temporary units, since its quicker and easier to sow or paint a unit's name and function on a piece of cloth rather then to beat the letters and symbols out of a piece of sheet-metal, like seems to have been common for signae.

The standards with Eagles on top are the so-called "auquila" (litteraly: "eagle") This was a standard that was exclusive to an entire legion. It was the symbol of highest honour in the roman military, and they were fiercely defended. When they were lost in battle to an enemy, extensive effort would be exerted to reclaim the lost aquilla in order to redeem a legion's (and by extension Rome's) honour.

Coins with any either Signa, Vexilla or Aquilae on them might be struck in honour of the founding of a new military unit, or the commemoration of an action it performed. Multiple standards together might be honouring multiple units, or it might be a depiction of a Principia, the inner sanctum of a military fort or encampment where all the standards of the units stationed there were kept.

[rigovega]

Wow I’ve been collecting for a little over a year and this video with the links is gold.

[heanvisalseyhak]

Your video are amazing especially “how to collect coin for starter with budget” but I live in Cambodia so it’s hard to collect coin . I inherited 5 French Indochina piastre

[JACRaiders]

Great video! Glad to see a video encouraging new collectors.

[knuktunes]

This was a great video for a beginner. Thanks a ton.

[martyjewell]

Excellent video! Appreciate all the links. I didn't know about the RNC but saw it often...now I know😊

[peterwilson]

I was amazed I could even buy silver coins, I could buy this years American Eagle or a Gordian III Denarius for not much more. One is predictable and boring the other has a history, a context, and an initial practical purpose which defines its design elements. So much better, it tells a story of the people who once held it.

[mathewaitken]

Thanks so much for this video. I have quite a few un researched and partly researched Roman coins and got some great tips to identify them more thoroughly. Appreciate your insights.

[tolgacool]

Thank you so much! I got a handful of roman, greek and byzantian coins and I didn't even know where to start with them

[Sageofthenation]

More or less how I found out about ancient coins. Very comprehensive analysis. Ancient coins are for scholars at heart. And for people who like to breath in 2000 year old dust, skin cells and particulate mud.

[jacobncindyvitela]

Great video ! I want to begin collecting Roman coins.

[alsawaeeralsawaeer]

thank you Lianna.
for sharing this passion .
I hope you'll visit jordan to see rare and unknown old coins .

[peterwilson]

Great video Lianna, I started looking at ancient coins when I became disillusioned with modern coins. It really is just a money making racket now. I have always preferred to collect items which served a purpose first before being collected.

I assumed ancient coins would be expensive or decrepid if cheap. Then I discovered roman coins and it blew me away. Folles were my way in, they cost less than ten dollars and were amazingly good condition. Brilliant! I was hooked.

[mrsmith]

Thanks for the video. Helped me alot.

[Qromer]

Great video and information with the links. Thanks for putting it together.

[CircusStellaShow]

Thank you so much for this super useful information!!

[Spacewitchofthelittledancer]

Amazing video, I am a tabletop role-playing game enthusiast and plan on doing a vlog about ancient coins and how to use them in a fantasy campaign, this video is a really good resource and I plan on linking and referencing your video in my own. Great quality!

[donniebailey]

Great video. I'm glad I ran across this one as I recently received a gift of a few Roman coins.