Collecting ancient coins is a wonderful hobby, and one that need not be horribly expensive.  Ancient Coins (13)Collecting ancient coins is one of the most fascinating collector hobbies there is.  An interesting aspect of collecting ancient coins is understanding  what these coins meant to the people who used them in their daily lives.  This collection of ancient coins is a historical representationof trade between ancient civilizations.  One of the most challenging areas I found withancient coins is that unlike US coins, there are many undocumented examples ofancient coinage.  Forged Fu Chang Yuan Bao cash coins Forged Fu Chang Yuan Bao cash coins One of the main problems in the collecting of Chineseancient coins is to recognize faked coins, that are presented on the market in huge quantities.  The most popular of all ancient coins is the silver tetradrachm of Athens, also known as the “Owl”.  Collecting ancient coins is a challenging task.  The most common misconception about ancient coins is that they are all “rare” and “expensive” museum quality pieces.  The key to authenticating ancient coins is to know the stylistic considerations, that is how and when a coin was minted, what tools were used and how the dies were made.  Our knowledge regarding the technique of minting ancient coins is mainly based on evidence coming from the objects themselves.  What we hope we have helped the reader understand, is that the forging of ancient coins is a highly complex undertaking.  The writer is the former publisher of the most popular magazine dedicated to the hobby of collecting ancient coins is written from the vantage point of an enthusiastic collector who knows.  Collecting and studying ancient coins is a fascinating and complex topic.  Perhaps no series of ancient coins is as consistently misunderstood, vaguely described, or incorrectly attributed, as are the so-called “Celtic” imitations of Roman Republican denarii.  de Rothschild Collection of Ancient Coins is on view at Waddesdon Manor during the 2003 season.  The Athens Numismatic Museum has a large collection of ancient coins is unique in Greece and the Balkans.  A museum for ancient coins is one idea; I have already been contacted by someone.  One of the best examples of how contextual archaeological study has contributed to the study of ancient coins is from Morgantina, where stratigraphic excavation allowed archaeologists and numismatists to establish a date for the introduction of the Roman denarius.