How to Buy Ancient Roman Coins

Buy coins from a reputable dealer or online site. Check with the American Numismatic Association for information about the best ancient Roman coin dealers. Many fly by night sites sell inferior or fake coins due to the high demand and number of novice buyers. Study such characteristics as size, design, condition and date before paying for the coin.

Get a price guide from a hobby store or coin dealer. You may also locate recent prices on ancient coin collectors' websites. These sites also contain valuable tips about scams and shady sellers. Always check them before buying from an auction house or an individual you haven't bought from in the past.

Check ancient coins for oxidation. Real ancient Roman coins have a covering that's called a patina. If there's no patina, the coin will have a shiny look. This detracts from the collectible value of the piece. After all, an ancient Roman coin has been in the ground or in a vessel for centuries. It should have a brown or grayish blue patina on it from being hidden away all those years.

Find out how the dealer obtained the coin. A coin buried in the soil for centuries might crystallize and lose some of its metal quality and become brittle to the touch. These coins won't increase in value, so if you're looking to invest in Roman coins, study carefully before purchasing.

Look at the coin's surface. If the features on the face or wording seem bright and too clearly defined, the coin has been "tooled." This process improves the grade of a worn ancient coin, but a knowledgeable numismatist can spot a tooled coin over a real, high quality one with a little investigation.