Interviewing... 'Abian36'
Interview #4, talking to a history graduate with an equal interest in collecting and investigating…
Where did you buy your first coin?
My first coin was a gift from one of my father's coworkers, back when I was eight. It's a tiny posthumous Claudius II contemporary copy which I still own. As for the first coin bought by myself, a Diocletian radiate, I got it from a local Sunday market seller that still visits my city every week, although his coins tend to be very overpriced. I didn't know anything about prices back then, so I paid quite a bit more than what it was worth.
What sort of coins do you collect?
I started collecting Roman antoniniani from the Crisis of the Third Century because they were the cheapest “good looking” coins in silver that I could get. I still do, of course, but have specialised a bit since. Now I mostly look for coins from the breakaway Gallic Empire (including contemporary copies), antoniniani of Gordian III and Gallienus, and aurelianiani (coins issued after Aurelian’s reform) in general. Nonetheless, quite recently I've started a side collection based around the Justinian and Heraclian dynasties (that is, early Byzantine coinage). Inspired by other collectors with similar tastes that introduced me to these, I quickly learned to appreciate them as well.
What’s the last coin you bought?
I got a "sestertius" (the denomination’s identity is often debated) of Aurelian. It's a very interesting coin and with it (along with a denarius and an antoninianus of his), Aurelian has become the first emperor of whom I own three different denominations.
What advice would you give to someone keen to start collecting?
Look up prices of what you want to buy and compare, that's for sure. Take your time: the coins aren't going anywhere. Start small (although there's nothing wrong going straight for a gold aureus, if you can afford it) and from a very wide spectrum (e.g. "Roman Coinage", "Celtic Coinage" etc.) begin to narrow down your tastes. If you find two wildly different niches, go for it. Sometimes it's good to branch out so you don't get burned out of the hobby.
Have you ever made a mistake collecting (if so, what)?
Well, apart from my initial purchases, which were often quite overpriced, I don't think I've made anything I'd call a "mistake". Nevertheless, I've made purchases that I've grown to regret mostly after finding better options elsewhere, or simply because the images deceived. A fair warning to any reader: be careful with the brightness of photos, as coins dark as night may become much more appealing under good lighting, and once you've got them in hand you get buyer's remorse.
What’s your dream coin (ie if you could have any, what would it be)?
Leaving to one side coins that I very much doubt I'll ever acquire (an aureus of Postumus with one of those gorgeous facing busts or an antoninianus of a very rare usurper) my dream coin would be an argenteus of Diocletian with the “Colosseum" (likely camp-gate) and the four Tetrarchs standing with each other on the reverse.
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