Ancient Coin Value Guide
Kinzer Ancient Coin
Value Guide
Book I: The Crisis of the Third Century, AD 235–285. A researched market guide built from certified, fixed-price retail, and buyer-inclusive auction evidence.
A baseline for a market with
a lot of unknowns
Familiar idea, harder market.
Many American collectors grew up using references such as the Red Book or Beckett to understand approximate value ranges. Ancient coins are different: no two examples are truly identical, and condition, rarity, mint, surfaces, provenance, denomination and collector demand can all change the price.
Many American collectors grew up using references such as the Red Book or Beckett to understand approximate value ranges. Ancient coins are different: no two examples are truly identical, and condition, rarity, mint, surfaces, provenance, denomination and collector demand can all change the price.
Useful ranges, not fixed prices.
As collectors and dealers, we want to see the hobby grow. This project organizes certified, retail and auction evidence without pretending they are the same market.
As collectors and dealers, we want to see the hobby grow. This project organizes certified, retail and auction evidence without pretending they are the same market.
Read the market in the
right order
1. Certified first.
Because NGC grade narrows the comparison, slabbed evidence is shown first whenever a meaningful exact-grade comparison exists.
Because NGC grade narrows the comparison, slabbed evidence is shown first whenever a meaningful exact-grade comparison exists.
2. Fixed-price retail second.
Retail tells you what comparable raw inventory costs to buy now without waiting for an auction.
Retail tells you what comparable raw inventory costs to buy now without waiting for an auction.
3. Raw auction third.
Auction shows buyer-inclusive acquisition cost: hammer plus the mandatory buyer premium for that exact sale.
Auction shows buyer-inclusive acquisition cost: hammer plus the mandatory buyer premium for that exact sale.
Do not mix the three.
A slabbed XF, a raw dealer coin, and an average raw auction coin are not automatically equivalent. The guide keeps them visibly separate.
A slabbed XF, a raw dealer coin, and an average raw auction coin are not automatically equivalent. The guide keeps them visibly separate.
Quick Price Reference
Each card now leads with the certified market, then current fixed-price raw retail, then the raw buyer-inclusive auction center. Certified comparisons are exact-grade where the research supports one; when the market is too thin, the card says so instead of forcing a number. Retail observations are the September 18–19, 2026 snapshot used in Book I.
Maximinus I
Denarius
Certified / slabbedNGC VF retail ~$185
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$95
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$150
Gordian I
Denarius
Certified / slabbedNo live exact-grade retail; recent certified auction ~$6.9k–$12k
Fixed-price retail — rawNo active comparable raw retail
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$6,920
Gordian II
Denarius
Certified / slabbedNo live exact-grade retail; recent NGC AU auction ~$17,080
Fixed-price retail — rawNo active comparable raw retail
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$7,360
Pupienus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedCertified market very thin; recent Choice XF auction ~$854
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail midpoint ~$1,199
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$923
Balbinus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo live exact-grade retail; recent XF/Choice XF auction ~$915–$1,068
Fixed-price retail — rawNo active comparable raw retail
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$851
Gordian III
Denarius
Certified / slabbedNGC AU retail benchmark ~$250
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$113
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$61
Philip I
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$336
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$68
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$95
Philip II
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$390
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$198
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$83
Trajan Decius
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$252
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$99
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$63
Herennius Etruscus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo live exact-grade retail; recent certified XF auction ~$159
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail midpoint ~$107
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$66
Hostilian
Caesar antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo live exact-grade retail; recent Choice VF auction ~$488
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$295
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$215
Trebonianus Gallus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC VF retail benchmark ~$199
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$59
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$91
Volusian
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC VF retail benchmark ~$256
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$90
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$114
Aemilian
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC AU retail observation ~$1,100; market very thin
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$336
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$345
Valerian I
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC retail benchmarks: F ~$189 | XF ~$266
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$79
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$80
Gallienus
Sole-reign antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC AU retail benchmark ~$148
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$43
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$15
Salonina
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$300
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$51
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$23
Claudius II
Lifetime antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$149
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$56
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$56
Quintillus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$247
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$69
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$50
Aurelian
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo dependable live exact-grade NGC retail benchmark
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$57
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$61
Severina
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo dependable live exact-grade NGC retail benchmark
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$119
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$68
Tacitus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail benchmark ~$164
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail midpoint ~$144
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$84
Florian
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo dependable current exact-grade certified benchmark
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail asks observed ~$90–$249
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$107
Probus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC XF retail median benchmark ~$127
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$60
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$28
Carus
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC VF retail benchmark ~$80
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$92
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$103
Numerian
Antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNGC F retail benchmark ~$78.80
Fixed-price retail — rawRaw retail median ~$90
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$46
Carinus
Caesar antoninianus
Certified / slabbedNo dependable live exact-grade NGC retail benchmark
Fixed-price retail — rawOne active raw retail ask ~$58
Auction acquisition — rawRaw auction median ~$74
Full Research Edition
Book I PDF
The full research edition includes ruler-by-ruler certified comparisons, fixed-price retail snapshots, buyer-inclusive auction evidence, specialist-market notes, methodology and source appendix.
PDF link will be added before publication. This page remains unpublished while we finish the presentation.
Coming Next
Book II: The Tetrarchy & Constantine the Great Dynasty
Book II is now in development. The next volume will continue the same market-based approach into the age of Diocletian’s Tetrarchy, Constantine the Great, and the Constantinian dynasty—again separating certified, retail, and buyer-inclusive auction evidence rather than forcing ancient coins into fixed catalog prices.
Research begins next.
You’ll join the Kinzer Coins email list and be tagged for Ancient Coin Value Guide / Book II updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Market evidence is a dated research snapshot, not a guarantee of future value. Ancient coins remain specimen-specific, and authenticity, grade, strike, surfaces, rarity, provenance, venue and collector demand can materially affect price.