History written,
not just minted

What was Roman currency? This guide explains how Rome’s changing gold, silver, bronze and billon coins—including the denarius, sestertius, antoninianus, foll...

What happened to Roman coinage after the Western Empire ended? Follow Odoacer, the Vandals, Ostrogoths, Visigoths and Franks as successor kingdoms preserved ...

Roman usurpers were rival claimants whose legitimacy was often contested rather than simply “failed.” Explore Postumus, Carausius, Magnentius, Procopius, Reg...

Learn how to identify Constantius II Fallen Horseman coins of the FEL TEMP REPARATIO series. Explore the AD 348 reform, reverse design, mint marks, varieties...

Explore the Labors of Hercules coin series struck at Alexandria under Antoninus Pius. Learn how large Roman Egyptian bronze drachms depicted the hero's mytho...

Explore the famous zodiac coinage of Antoninus Pius, struck at Alexandria in regnal year 8 (AD 144/145). Learn about the large bronze drachms depicting zodia...

Explore the denarii of Quintus Pomponius Musa, struck around 66 BC with Apollo on the obverse and the Nine Muses or Hercules Musarum on the reverse. Learn th...

Looking for a first ancient Greek coin? Compare seven classic starting points—Athenian Owls, Philip II, Alexander the Great, Lysimachos, Syracuse, Taras and ...

How much do ancient coins cost? This beginner's budget guide explains what collectors can often find under $50, from $100–$300, and at higher levels across R...

Explore ten major conflicts of the ancient world—from the Peloponnesian and Punic Wars to Caesar's civil war, the Jewish Revolt and Rome's third-century cris...

Vitellius ruled Rome for about eight months in AD 69 after his Rhine armies defeated Otho. Learn how his regime fell to Vespasian and how his denarii, bronze...

Who was Otho? Otho ruled for only ninety-five days in AD 69 after supporters in the Praetorian Guard killed Galba. He then fought the Vitellian forces, lost ...

Who was Galba? Galba ruled from June AD 68 to January AD 69 as the first emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. His accession followed Nero’s death and th...

From Petrarch and the Medici to the Vatican and King Farouk, explore how famous rulers, scholars and institutions built ancient coin collections—and why roya...

Why is coin collecting called the Hobby of Kings? Explore the rise of Renaissance numismatics, royal and aristocratic coin cabinets, coins as historical evid...

Looking for a meaningful Father's Day gift for a history lover? Dean Kinzer shares how coins connected three generations of his family and why an authentic a...

Why did Classical Sparta mint so little coinage while Athens and other Greek states struck money in abundance? Explore Spartan attitudes toward wealth, the t...

Explore the coins of Herod Agrippa II, the last major Herodian ruler and the king who heard Paul’s defense in Acts 26. Learn about his bronze coinage, imperi...

Explore the coins and reign of Herod Agrippa I, the ruler identified as King Herod in Acts 12 who ordered James’s execution and Peter’s imprisonment. Learn a...

Explore Herod the Great’s bronze coinage and the history behind the ruler of Judaea in Matthew’s Nativity narrative. Learn about Herodian prutot, anchors, co...

Explore Pontius Pilate through the Gospels, Josephus, Philo, the Pilate Stone and the bronze prutot struck in Judaea under Tiberius. Learn what archaeology a...

Explore coins from the eastern world of the Nativity through the Azes dynasty, Gondophares and Aretas IV of Nabataea. These rulers were not the biblical Magi...

Start collecting biblical coins with three foundational types: the Widow's Mite, Tiberius Tribute Penny and Shekel of Tyre. Learn what each biblical connecti...

Explore the Shekel of Tyre, a high-fineness silver coin associated with Second Temple payments and traditionally proposed as a candidate for Judas’s thirty p...