Ancient Coin Gifts - Treasures that will Always be
Remembered |
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Ancient coins
make wonderful mementos for special occasions. Whether you seek a
special Christmas present, a memorable graduation gift, a birthday present
or something to express appreciation to a special person, an ancient coin
gift will always be treasured. |
Ancient coin gifts are a creative way
to make a lasting impression on a special person. Whether that person is a business
associate, a relative celebrating a birthday or Christmas, or a special friend,
an ancient coin makes a lasting impression that few other gift choices can
match. An ancient coin gift puts a piece of history into the hands of the person
who receives it, and will be treasured and remembered long after more
costly but more prosaic presents have been forgotten.
An ancient coin will be appreciated by almost
anyone,
but is particularly appropriate for someone who
has an interest in ancient history, or is of Greek, Italian or Persian descent,
or has studied an ancient language such as Latin. An ancient coin makes a wonderful memento for someone who visited Greece, Turkey, Italy or another
ancient land and would appreciate something to commemorate that visit.
It is difficult (and usually very
expensive) to legally acquire a genuine ancient coin in such countries. Nearly
everything offered to tourists, whether described as an ancient coin or another
type of antiquity, is a reproduction. A tourist knowledgeable enough (or lucky
enough) to acquire a genuine ancient coin in these countries must then get an
export permit to take it home, which may be difficult and costly. Attempting to
bring a coin or other antiquity home without a permit is a serious violation of
the law, which can lead to the item being confiscated and perhaps even a long
stay in prison. If you want an ancient coin to give to a returning traveler, or
as a memento of a trip you are taking, you will be far better off buying it from
a reputable dealer such as Classical Coins.
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Price Ranges
Ancient coins are available in price ranges from
$10.00 all the way up to $10,000 or more. Here is a quick sampler of what
you can expect to find for various gift budget levels. Most of the individual
coins shown are no longer available for sale. It isn't possible to order a coin
directly from the "Gift" pages. Those described as "offered" may instead be
found on the appropriate listing page (see the
Coin Index).
| Budget |
Image |
Description |
| $10.00
to
$20.00 |
 |
The most inexpensive ancient bronze coins in
collectible condition are found at this price level. This bronze coin
from the Macedonian city of Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great, sold for $16.00.
Such a
coin would be a fine gift for a student learning about ancient Greece. |
| $20.00
to
$30.00 |
 |
Roman coins of the Constantinian
dynasty are available in nice quality for $30.00 or less. This bronze coin
with a fine portrait of Constantine sold for $25.00. |
| $31.00
to
$60.00 |
 |
At this price level there are many
attractive coins to choose from. This Parthian drachm of Vologases III
sold for $40.00. It would be an excellent choice for someone who is interested in ancient Persia. |
| $61.00
to
$100.00 |
 |
Silver drachms of the Sasanian Persian
kingdom become plentiful in nice condition in this price range. This drachm
bearing the portrait of Shapur the Great, whose victory over the Emperor
Valerian nearly destroyed the Roman empire, sold for $85.00. |
| $101.00
to
$200.00 |
 |
Sasanian Persian coins in the finest
condition are available in this price range. This drachm of Khusru I,
although more than 1500 years old, is in Mint State. It is offered for
$120.00. |
| $201.00
to
$500.00 |
 |
Among the best known of all ancient
coin types are the tetradrachms of Alexander the Great, featuring images
of Herakles on the obverse and Zeus on the reverse. This choice example
sold for $375.00. |
| $501.00
to
$1,000.00 |
 |
In this price range rare types begin to
become available. This historic coin of Caesar's assassins
Brutus and Casca Longus ("envious Casca") bears images of the god Neptune
on the obverse and Victory on the reverse. It sold for $1,000.00 |
| Over
$1,000.00 |
 |
If your gift budget supports the Nieman-Marcus
catalogue, you might also wish to consider the ultimate gift
for a collector who has almost everything. This superb, massive gold oktodrachm of Arsinoe III, Queen of Egypt,
sold for $10,000.00. |
For more details on giving ancient coins, see:
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