Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Some Serious Coin (Denarii Serio)

The stock market has been up lately so I've been thinking about coins. And not the inflation-hedgy gold ones that the bunker-dwelling Branch Davidian types around here have been hoarding lately. No, I'm talking about coins from antiquity, the kind that they don't make anymore.

Or do they? On this link about halfway down, see if you can spot the two real ones (hint, they are die struck so there are barely perceptible flow marks, and they have a few other tells).


Old coins like this found at archaelogical sites help identify the timeline of the site being excavated. Many the museums don't want them so they end up in private collections, sometimes even through EBay I'm extremely happy to say. *Doing the little antiquity collector's secret jig*

With some of these provencial coins, the inscriptions are a great source of information on provinces with a lesser known history and their praetors (leaders, typically retired military).
The coin pictured above was a tribute to soldiers that conquered Egypt and then settled around Nimes, France.
Before striking my own coins, I think I have need of a homemade foundry to mix up the copper, antimony, and tin in the correct proportions for the blanks. Here's a guy that made a foundry using a coffee can and a few other household items. Use caution if doing this inside, outside, or at all.




Italia: Monete antiche sono interessanti... se non posso comprarli, cercherò di renderli!!!

12 comments:

  1. Looks like some prison cell contraption, jk. Looks pretty cool I don't know anything about coins except they suck to carry around.

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  2. Well, let me know how your coin-making goes.

    Um, all the best, don't wear anything particularly flammable please.

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  3. Mr. Condescending, carrying coins around sucks until the paper money is worthless, then I'll be paying people some coins to carry my other ones around.

    Mo, thanks. I'm not sure I want to try something like this yet, but if I do, I most assuredly won't be wearing my flashpaper sport coat fresh back from the cleaners with a bit of that dry cleaning fluid vapour still on it.

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  4. I dunno - that hillbilly foundry looks like a can of trouble.

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  5. If you are going to go ahead and make your own coins, will you try the gold U.S. dollars...and then ship them to me by the carton, please? heh heh

    Was unaware there was an antiquity collector's secret jig. I'm feeling left out, Eric.

    Headed off to look at the link embedded in this email now. Toodles!

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  6. Lopez! That's a great idea, I was wondering what I'd do with all my boring 100oz Englehard bullion bars (haha), they just get in the way and clutter isn't my thing.

    *sigh* Girl Interrupted must be working at a real job and being responsible or something. :(

    katrocket, I agree, it is just here for scary informational purposes. The ones at www.backyardmetalcasting.com look much safer.

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  7. I'm telling you...this "job" better not get in the way of G.I.'s blog world. I don't know that I can deal with it...

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  8. lol @ you two! :P

    I love old coins, I wish they could speak and tell us their stories :)

    Guess I better go write a post before Lopez goes loco ...

    x

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  9. Lopez, I know, it would be so horrible.
    Sometimes I just want to rip off that band-aid of crushy blog love and get over it, but then she writes another great pos...

    Oh, there she is!!!
    lol hello there.
    xx

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  10. I like chocolate coins. Not worth anything of course but they sure are tasty.

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  11. AnonymousMay 06, 2009

    I collect coins from Middle Earth. I'm quite proud of my collection. I'm currently missing a Shire penny from the year 1404. If you spot it, plz grab it for me! I'll pay you back.

    ;)

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  12. Hey Pru!
    That's one of several reasons why I like Caesers Palace in Vegas, I think. Have fun if you are going to be in Georgia soon :)

    Pwn Star, I'll double check my collection for you just in case, you have dibs on any middle earthy type coins. Or, I could just make you some jewelry out of an old one.

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