Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins: An Official Whitman Guidebook (Paperback)

~ (Author), K. E. Bressett (Editor) "The manufacture of ancient Greek coins becomes all the more remarkable when we ponder the means by which they were made..." (more)
Key Phrases: gold stater, tribunician power, particular coin, Translation Modern Name, Marcus Aurelius, Constantine the Great (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins combines the two main references that collectors have depended on for nearly forty years in the study of ancient Greek and Roman coins. The book touches upon every aspect of ancient coinage, from how the pieces were made to what their symbolism meant to the people who used them. It contains all the information needed to properly identify and attribute coins to that era. Beginning and advanced collectors alike will benefit from data, charts, and more than 1000 full-size photographs that depict the actual coins and show how to interpret dates and inscriptions. The book contains important information on:
--Reading Greek and Roman coin inscriptions
--Identifying emperors and dates on Roman coins
--Symbols, city names, and historical and mythological characters

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Western Pub. Co. (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030709362X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307093622
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #113,563 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, handy one volume guide to ancient numismatics, January 4, 1999

By	JAMES M. MCGARIGLE (Merrill, WI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I first started the hobby of collecting ancient coins I asked several dealers if there was one book I could get that was both inexpensive and broad. Klawans "Handbook of Ancient Greek and Roman Coins" was the repeated answer.

The book is essentially divided into a part "A" and a part "B", 'A' being Greek and 'B' being Roman Imperial. Very little attention is given to Republican Rome and Byzantine Rome but that is forgivible considering all the other helps.

I got the book, read it cover to cover and still refer to it now even though I have added many ancient coin collecting books to my library since that are more specialized. Klawans' book has many helpful sections on various topics such as on how to read and break down those Roman titles and inscriptions. There is a chronological guide to the Roman emperors and their families, reverses of gods and 'personifications' and other mythological & religious data. The book is copiously illustrated throughout. There is an illustrated guide of coins by city. There are even an ancient rulers guide included ( but with some notable cultures missing ) in it.

If you are just getting started with collecting ancient Greek and/or Roman Imperial coins on a shoestring, this is your guide, but, one word of caution, if you are buying uncleaned bulk Roman coins and need an attribution guide this is not the book, this book deals with pre-Constantinian Roman coins. However if you are buying cheap greek bronzes and budget Roman denarii, antoninianii, sestertii, etc., THIS IS THE BOOK TO GET !

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Starting Point for Greek & Roman Coins, May 19, 2000

By	"gottliebschaller" (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews

If you have just recently begun to collect Greek and/or Roman coins, you'll want to have this book.

For one thing, it's very cheap. More importantly, it's a great bargain. There is so much information crammed into this 280-page book.

For $12.00, this book will tell you about how ancient coins were minted, how to read Greek characters, how to translate basic Latin inscriptions, and how to tell the difference between an AS, Dupondius, and Sestertius. These are but a few examples of the helpful information contained in this book.

Profusely illustrated, this book gives an example of a coin from every major ruler (especially the Roman emperors).

Unfortunately, this book is not designed to help you attribute every ancient coin that you might run into. Again, usually only one example of each emperor is given. Also some of the more obscure rulers are not represented here.

Still, that shouldn't stop you from getting this book if you have any sort of interest in ancient Greek and Roman coins. You can't go wrong with the price. There is a wealth of information here. It will answer many of your questions.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You get what you pay for, July 16, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Vassar) - See all my reviews

For under $20.00, it's hard to imagine a better book on Greek and Roman coins. However, don't expect this book to be the one leg that you stand on as you enter the world of Roman or Greek coins. It's a good intro, and it has quite a few picts, but the broad nature of the book prevents it from covering in detail a period of history that you might be interested in (in just a few hundred pages).

I'm not trying to say this is a bad book. If you want a cheap, brief overview of BOTH Greek and Roman coins, you'll want this book. It's worth every penny that you'll pay for it. However, it will not pinch-hit for the more detailed (and more expensive) Greek or Roman reference books. Don't have unrealistic expectations when buying this.