The Classics: Must-Have Ancient Coin Books

Let’s be honest—Google and AI tools are everywhere now. But when it comes to ancient coins books it is very hard to create books if you don’t have the right knowledge, sometimes the internet just doesn’t cut it. That’s where a solid bookshelf comes in.

Books give you:

• Deeper historical context
• High-resolution reference images
• Consistent and trusted information
• Something to flip through without a Wi-Fi signal

Whether you’re into Greek tetradrachms, Roman denarii, Byzantine solidi, or Persian darics, there’s a book out there that can make you a smarter, more confident collector.

Here are my personal favorites—and the ones most serious collectors I know also swear by.

📘 Greek Coins and Their Values – by David R. Sear

What it covers: Hundreds of coin types across Greek city-states, kingdoms, and empires.
Why I love it: It’s comprehensive without being overwhelming. Clear layout, great images, and a solid introduction to Greek numismatics.

📌 Best for: Beginners and intermediate collectors of Greek coins.

📙 Roman Coins and Their Values (Multiple Volumes) – by David R. Sear

What it covers: From the Roman Republic to the fall of the Western Empire.
Why I love it: Sear’s work is basically the Roman coin bible. You can ID coins, date them by ruler, and even estimate market value.

📌 Best for: Anyone serious about Roman coins.

📗 Byzantine Coins and Their Values – by David R. Sear

What it covers: Byzantine coinage from the 5th to the 15th century CE.
Why I love it: Byzantine coins can be confusing—similar styles, lots of Christ iconography, strange Greek abbreviations. This book simplifies everything.

📌 Best for: Collectors focused on Eastern Roman and early Christian coinage.

📒 Coinage of the Achaemenid Empire – by David Sellwood

What it covers: Achaemenid Persian coins—mainly gold darics and silver siglos.
Why I love it: There aren’t many solid books on Persian coins, and this one is clean, reliable, and packed with illustrations.

📌 Best for: Those interested in ancient Near Eastern numismatics.

📕 The Handbook of Roman Imperial Coins – by David Van Meter

What it covers: A practical ID and value guide for Roman imperial issues.
Why I love it: It’s very beginner-friendly. No fluff. Just coins, legends, emperors, and dates.

📌 Best for: New Roman collectors and show dealers.

🔍 Niche & Specialized Reads (For the Deep Divers)

📓 Coins of the Roman Republic in the British Museum – by Harold Mattingly

Heavy academic tone, but if you’re diving into early Roman silver coinage, this is a go-to.

📘 Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum (SNG) – Various volumes

This is like the Holy Grail for advanced Greek coin classification. The downside? It’s expensive and can be hard to find.

📖 The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints – by Edward Newell

Focused on Seleucid kings in Syria and Mesopotamia. Extremely useful if you collect Hellenistic coins beyond Athens.

💻 Modern Tools: Not a Book, But Still Worth Owning

🔎 The Portable Numismatic Library (USB)

Some dealers offer PDF libraries of older books (legally digitized). It won’t replace a printed volume, but it’s handy when you’re on the go.

📱 NGC Ancients Online Database

Great for verifying coin types and checking auction results. Also includes some helpful guides on grading.

🧠 Tips for Using Coin Books Effectively

1. Don’t just skim. Read the historical introductions. They’ll give you context beyond just the coin type.

2. Use sticky notes or flags. Mark your regular reference pages so you don’t wear out your index.

3. Compare across sources. Especially for Roman and Greek coins, you’ll find slight variations—double-check legends and mint marks.

4. Keep a log. I jot down what coins I’ve ID’d, along with book page references, so I can go back and cross-check later.

🛒 Where to Buy Ancient Coin Books

• NumisDon.com – We’re working on building a trusted catalog right here.

• Amazon – Surprisingly good selection, especially for Sear titles.

• VCoins & Forum Ancient Coins – Occasionally have out-of-print or collector-only books.

• eBay – Great for rare books, but check seller reviews carefully.

• American Numismatic Society (ANS) – Academic, but they publish excellent resources and journals.

💬 Final Thoughts

You don’t need a huge library to become a better collector. But owning just a few well-written, reliable ancient coin books can make all the difference. They’ll help you avoid buying fakes, recognize rare varieties, and appreciate the full historical weight of every piece you hold.

And hey—flipping through a coin book late at night, marking pages and matching photos? That’s one of the underrated joys of this hobby.