First, the good news ¨C ancient Roman coins do exist and they are available for sale at reasonable prices. Now, the bad news ¨C counterfeiters realize that a market exists for such coins and that some people may not be aware that these collectibles do not have to cost your life savings. Counterfeiters will try to pass off junk as treasure to defraud you out of your hard-earned money.
The Roman coins available for legitimate sale are usually 1600-2000 years old, but some date back as far as 600 BC. Most are made of copper though a few, minted by Roman emperors, are silver or gold. Because so many ancient Roman coins were minted, the supply continues to exceed the demand even to this day. Of course, some types of coins are more rare than others depending on the emperor, the material (gold being the most expensive), and the grade, or the amount of wear and tear on the coin. However a casual search of an online coin website turned up over eighty Roman coins for less than fifty dollars each.
Roman Coins and the Games Counterfeiters Play
Real coins in ancient times were struck by hand. As such, no two were ever exactly the same. This fact can make counterfeiting hard to detect. Sometimes counterfeiters will ¡°create¡± an ancient coin, other times they will take an existing coin and add a few details that make it more valuable.
Some peddlers in the Mediterranean and Middle East make a profit charging tourists thousands of dollars for ¡°ancient coins¡± that turn out to be worthless. According to expert Numismatist Dennis Kroh, in most of these countries it is not legal to cell an ancient artifact. So, if you¡¯re approached in the streets of Athens or the markets of Cairo, don¡¯t be fooled.
Online auction sites are also an especially hot market for fake Roman coins. Fraudulent sellers often try to keep their auctions ¡°private¡± so more experienced buyers cannot warn off those new to buying coins online.
One way to protect yourself from counterfeiters is to buy from respected dealers only. Many online auction sites have a way for buyers to ¡°rate¡± sellers. Buying from only those sellers who have excellent ratings is one way to ensure top quality. Another way to protect yourself is to check out the return policy. A good seller will allow you to return an item if you determine it to be a fake. Counterfeiters, on the other hand, generally have a ¡°no returns¡± policy.
Remember, unless the Roman coin you want is extremely rare or is in unbelievably good shape, you probably won¡¯t have to pay more than a few hundred dollars for it at most, and it may end up being far less than that. Remember to buy from respectable dealers and have your purchases authenticated, and it won¡¯t be long before you¡¯re well on your way to a fine collection of ancient coins.
