Greek Coins
Are there laws against selling ancient greek coins and drachma/drachms?
I want to know if I can buy one on the internet. Or in Greece. Can u plz help?
In general, the only time you have to worry about laws relating to items of cultural patrimony is when the items are of great value or when the items are provably looted from an archaelogical site.
The REAL danger, if you are a novice collector, is that you may end up buying a coin that’s a forgery, or you may purchase a coin for far more than it’s worth.
I was president of the Ancient Coin Club of Los Angeles for a number of years, and my husband and I have collected ancient Greek and Roman coins for more than 25 years. I have to tell you that during that time we have seen some really, really sad rip-offs, ranging from people who bought a genuine but common ancient coin for more than 100 times what it was worth, to people who bought coins that were such obvious fakes that we wondered how anyone who was sober and had normal vision could have been fooled.
There are many reputable ancient coin dealers, and I would not recommend that a novice buy ancient coins from anyone other than a reputable dealer who has been in business for years, and who gives a lifetime guarantee of the authenticity of every coin he sells.
I would also recommend that you see if there is a club for collectors of ancient Greek and Roman coins in your area, and that you attend some meetings and get to know the people in the club. Collectors of ancient coins are usually happy to share their knowledge with novices, and can make many valuable recommendations with regards to reference materials to learn about the coins.
Unlike modern coins, which can be graded for condition and priced with a reasonable degree of consistency, ancient coins are much more difficult to grade and price. Because every die used to strike the coins is hand-cut and the skill of the die-cutters can vary enormously, because the quality of each individual strike is highly variable even when the same dies were used, and because the condition of ancient coins can vary hugely, knowing what a fair price to pay for a coin can be a difficult proposition. In addition to scarcity, there are also factors unrelated to scarcity that can make a huge difference in the value. Because of all these factors, it can be hard to know if a coin is a genuine value or a rip-off.
See if there’s a club for collectors of ancient coins in your area. That’s your best bet for protecting yourself and learning about a hobby that can be a lifetime passion.
The forgotten (not in use) Greek coins – Drachmas!