On collecting coins

Traditionally coins often mark important events in history. This makes coins tangible survivors of times gone by. Every period in classical history has its own charm for a collector. With Greek coins it is especially about aesthetic beauty, the craftsmanship of the artist and the visual development of the arts. Roman coins give an insight in the political and social- economic development of the Roman Empire and tell stories of the customs and traditions of the Romans. The Byzantine coins form the bridge between the Classical World and the Middle Ages and a numismatist can’t get enough of the questions posed by the more than thousand years of coinage of this empire.
Let Agora Numismatiek accompany you on this interesting journey through the Classical World and support you with advice and information.

Collecting
When collecting high grade and rare ancient coins and creating a collection with patrimonial value, it is not only the artistic beauty and the state of preservation that is important, but also the mutual relationship between the coins in the collection and their historical value.
A collection of ancient coins, composed with care and knowledge gives a lasting picture of a period in ancient history and has many points of contact with our present-day society. Because of this a collection of ancient coins is a source of inspiration, joy and fascination for its owner.

The four values of collecting ancient coins

  • Cultural value – The origin of today’s Western world lie in ancient Greece and Rome. Many of the present-day symbols and ideas in use originate from these civilizations. As such, ancient coins have had an attraction to the rich and powerful through the ages. Join these collectors of old in their fascination for our heritage.
  • Historical value – From the first democracy to well in to the middle ages, from Alexander the Great to Julius Caesar, coins have always been struck to commemorate important events and achievements. Ancient coins have come down to us in time to proclaim history and to bring a bygone world to life as nothing else.
  • Artistic value – Contrary to modern coins, ancient coins are true masterpieces of art. Struck in gold, silver and bronze, the designs were often made by artists who belonged to the best of their time. High reliefs, daring compositions and incredible detail, ancient coins offer an insight in the evolution of art through millenniums.
  • Financial value – High quality ancient coins are, on the whole, not cheap. And as an investment one must not expect quick gains like in today’s stock market. Ancient coins should ideally be held in portfolio for 20 years or more. But then, a carefully composed collection can pay out a good dividend. The advantage of ancient coins as an investment is the low correlation with other markets. So, a collection of ancient coins that pairs quality to rarity can be a stable diversification in a securities-portfolio. Moreover, contrary to alternative investments like whiskey, fine wine, land etc., there are dozens of coin auctions each year, so selling a collection of ancient coins is easy.