# Identifying ancient coins **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 17, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878 "2016-10-17T21:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/1 "2016-10-17T21:25:42Z")
A few days ago something reminded me of some ancient coins I bought on Ebay maybe 10 years or so ago. Sold cheap (maybe $2 to $5 per coin) uncleaned and unidentified. I cleaned them the best I could by soaking them in olive oil and using a copper wire brush on them (as was the recommended method.) I’ve been lurking here, and thought that this would be as good a place as any to ask if anyone can identify any of them (and making this my first post after lurking for a while.) This is a scan I did of both sides of the coins on my flatbed scanner, way back when. I realize that some of these coins are beyond identification–but I’m sure that some of them will be instantly recognizable if they fall under the right eyes. > **[Photobucket | Make your memories fun!](https://s313.photobucket.com/user/darrengarrison/media/money/ancient_coins_1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0)** > > Make your memories fun! > **[Photobucket | Make your memories fun!](https://s313.photobucket.com/user/darrengarrison/media/money/ancient_coins_2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1)** > > Make your memories fun! ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/2 "2016-10-18T14:26:19Z")
There are over 12000 members at the Coins subreddit. I’ll bet they figure it out within a couple hours. You may consider uploading to Imgur, the de facto standard over there. > **[r/coins](https://www.reddit.com/r/coins)** > > r/coins: We welcome longtime collectors, as well as brand new ones and non-collectors. Please read our stickied How-To Guide for assistance and … ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/3 "2016-10-18T18:27:53Z")
Well, they’re definitely Roman, 4th / 5th century AD. Constantinian, Valentinian, Theodosian and/or thereabouts. At least for the ones where I can tell. The guy in the bottom right corner looks a whole lot like [Valentinian III](http://www.livius.org/site/assets/files/10590/coin_valentinian_iii_xanten.300x0-is-pid10615.jpg). Is number two from the left on the top row [Constantius II](https://images.vcoins.com/product_image/41/K/5/k98DH7ps4HJifx5Mn6Lz34tKB9cr8N.jpg)? Then again, he might be a Valentinian, like Valens or Gratian. All those dudes sure look similar, don’t they? That’s all I’ve got right now (IANACoin expert). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/4 "2016-10-18T18:39:23Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I cleaned them the best I could by soaking them in olive oil and using a copper wire brush on them (as was the recommended method.) What idiot recommended that!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/5 "2016-10-19T01:30:47Z")
Presumably none of them have any great value. Otherwise, you pretty much ruined them with the wire brush. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/6 "2016-10-19T03:02:12Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I cleaned them the best I could by soaking them in olive oil and using a copper wire brush on them (as was the recommended method.) > [@Kimballkid](#): > > What idiot recommended that!! :eek: Actually, on low value roman copper in poor condition, this is OK. > [@panache45](#): > > Presumably none of them have any great value. Otherwise, you pretty much ruined them with the wire brush. They were ruined before he went to work on them. The elements had corroded them almost to oblivion. He actually made them more recognizable and therefore more valuable. Low value of course. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identifying-ancient-coins/768878/7 "2016-10-19T04:13:30Z")
You can start with this page: [http://www.romancoin.info/](http://www.romancoin.info/)