Coins
Ancient Coins: What to Record
Coins of the ancient world to about 500 AD, struck by hand from engraved dies.
Kinds of Ancient Coins
- Greek & Hellenistic CoinsCoins of Greek cities and kingdoms, from archaic electrum to the Hellenistic monarchies. Greek coins are cited by city or ruler and a reference such as SNG or Sear. Weight matters more than for most series, because it tells the weight standard (Attic, Corinthian, Persic) the coin was struck to.
- Roman Republican CoinsCoins of the Roman Republic (c. 300 to 27 BC), referenced by Crawford (RRC). Republican denarii are cited by their Crawford number (RRC) and the moneyer's name, which the coins carry instead of an emperor's portrait.
- Roman Imperial CoinsCoins of the Roman emperors (27 BC to c. 491 AD), referenced by RIC. Roman Imperial coins are identified by emperor, denomination and reverse type, and cited by their RIC number (Roman Imperial Coinage). Note the mint from the exergue mark, since many types were struck at several mints.
- Roman Provincial CoinsCoins struck by cities and provinces of the Roman Empire, referenced by RPC.
- Celtic CoinsCoins of Celtic peoples in Europe and Britain.
- Byzantine CoinsCoins of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire from 491 to 1453.
- Other Ancient CoinsPersian, Parthian, Indian, Chinese and other ancient coinages.
The Data Sheet for Ancient Coins
The 36 fields worth recording for ancient coins, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to ancient coins.
Identification
- Issuer Text Coins
- State, ruler, city or bank that issued the piece, e.g. Roman Empire, Kingdom of France, Free City of Hamburg, Deutsche Bundesbank.
- Denomination Text Coins
- Face value and unit, e.g. 2 Euro, Denarius, Thaler, 10 Mark.
- Mint Text Coins
- Mint or place of striking, e.g. Philadelphia, Paris, Rome, Antioch.
- Catalogue references Text Coins
- Catalogue numbers with the catalogue named; coins KM, Numista N, Schoen, Jaeger (J.), ancient RIC, RRC, RPC, Sear (SG), SNG; banknotes Pick, Rosenberg, Friedberg.
- Reference link Link Coins
- Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
- Ruler / authority Text
- Emperor, king, magistrate or other authority named or depicted.
- Date / period Text
- When the object was made, as precise as known, e.g. 1876, c. 1890, 1920s, 2nd century AD.
Design
What the two sides show.
Physical
- Metal Choice, or your own Coins
- Main metal or alloy.
17 choices
- Gold
- Silver
- Billon
- Electrum
- Platinum
- Palladium
- Copper
- Bronze
- Brass
- Nickel
- Copper-nickel
- Nickel-brass
- Aluminium
- Aluminium-bronze
- Zinc
- Iron / steel
- Bimetallic
- Fineness Text Coins
- Precious metal content as given, e.g. 0.900, 925/1000, 22 carat.
- Weight (g) Number Coins
- Weight of the object (without stand, frame or holder unless noted).
- Diameter (mm) Number Coins
- Diameter at the widest point.
- Thickness (mm) Number Coins
- Thickness at the rim.
- Shape Choice, or your own Coins
- Outline of the flan.
- Round
- Polygonal
- Scalloped
- Square
- Holed
- Irregular (hammered / cut)
- Edge Choice, or your own Coins
- Treatment of the edge.
- Plain
- Reeded
- Lettered
- Decorated
- Security edge
- Interrupted reeding
- Die axis Choice, or your own Coins
- Orientation of the reverse to the obverse when turned on the vertical axis; for another alignment enter its clock hour, e.g. 3 o'clock.
- Coin alignment (6 o'clock)
- Medal alignment (12 o'clock)
Condition
- Grade Choice Coins
- Condition by wear on the Sheldon scale, with the German abbreviation; uncirculated and proof grades are refined by the numeric grade.
11 choices
- Poor (P-1)
- Fair (FR-2)
- About good (AG-3)
- Good (G-4 to G-6; ge)
- Very good (VG-8 to VG-10; s-)
- Fine (F-12 to F-15; s)
- Very fine (VF-20 to VF-35; ss)
- Extremely fine (EF-40 to EF-45; vz)
- About uncirculated (AU-50 to AU-58; vz-st)
- Uncirculated (MS-60 to MS-70; st)
- Proof (PR-60 to PR-70; PP)
- Numeric grade Whole number, 1 to 70 Coins
- Sheldon number 1 to 70 from a grading service or own estimate, e.g. 63 for MS-63.
- Grading service Choice, or your own Coins
- Third-party grading service whose holder or certificate the piece has.
- PCGS
- NGC
- ANACS
- ICG
- PMG
- PCGS Banknote
- Not certified
- Certification number Text Coins
- Number on the grading holder (slab) or authentication certificate, to look it up in the service's database.
- Designations Text Coins
- Additions to the grade, e.g. RD/RB/BN for copper colour, Full Bands, Deep Cameo, DMPL, EPQ, Star; details grades such as cleaned or holed.
- Condition notes Text Coins
- Faults, wear and damage in detail.
- Strike quality (1 to 5) Whole number, 1 to 5
- Quality of the strike for ancient coins on the 5-point scale of NGC Ancients (5 = full, well centred strike).
- Surface quality (1 to 5) Whole number, 1 to 5
- Surface preservation for ancient coins on the 5-point scale of NGC Ancients (5 = no marks, smoothing or porosity).
Acquisition
How and when the object came into the collection.
- Acquisition date Date Coins
- Date the object came into the collection.
- Acquisition method Choice, or your own Coins
- How the object came into the collection.
- Purchase
- Auction
- Gift
- Inheritance
- Exchange / trade
- Self-collected / found
- Commission
- Acquired from Text Coins
- Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
- Purchase price Amount Coins
- Price paid including fees and premiums.
- Provenance Text Coins
- Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).
Value
Estimated and insured value.
- Estimated value Amount Coins
- Current market value as estimated.
- Valuation date Date Coins
- Date of the current value estimate.
- Valuation basis Choice Coins
- What the estimated value is based on.
- Own estimate
- Recent sales / auction results
- Dealer offer
- Catalogue value
- Professional appraisal
- Insurance valuation
- Insured value Amount Coins
- Sum the object is insured for.
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Updated October 24, 2026