Roman Coins
Who is best at grading coins?
When it comes to coin grading and appraisal, two names stand out in the industry: PCGS and NGC. While both companies are reputable and widely used by coin and numismatic collectors in general, there are differences between them that can affect the grading process, pricing, and overall experience. In this article, we will discuss…
April 9, 2026Jalba: The stern general who defied fate and for whom Nile coins were minted
In 68 AD, the Roman Empire was seething under Nero, who had become universally despised. In the heart of Spain, Galba, the stern-faced old general, watched Rome's collapse with strategic coolness. He was not an ambitious youngster, but a seasoned warrior who had served in every corner of the empire, from Germany to Africa. When Nero committed suicide, he opened the way…
May 28, 2025The Urine Tax: The Story of Vespasian and the Strangest Tax in Roman History
Can money have a smell? Vespasian says (Pecunia non olet). In the heart of Roman history, specifically in 69 AD, one of the strangest taxes ever appeared: the urine tax! It may seem bizarre, but behind this tax lies a fascinating political and economic story, spearheaded by the Roman Emperor Vespasian, the man who uttered his famous phrase: “Pecunia non olet,“…
May 24, 2025Inclusive Numismatic Diploma – Online
It is a specialized diploma under the supervision and delivery of Dr. Almoatzbellah Elshahawi entitled “Inclusive Numismatic Diploma” (Online), that delivered in English, and organized by the Arab Collector. Audience Archeologists, numismatists, conservators, historians, curators, and collectors Diploma's Objective: Highlight the significant of coins in history; Elucidate the information derived from coins across various streams…
August 13, 2024Comprehensive Developmental Science Diploma
This is a specialized diploma course, supervised and taught by Dr. Al-Mu'taz Billah Al-Shahawi, entitled "Comprehensive Numismatics Diploma," offered in both Arabic and English, and organized by the Arab Collector. Target audience: Students and researchers in archaeology and numismatics, restoration specialists, historians, museum curators, and enthusiasts. Course objectives: To learn about the history of ancient coins and the metals used in their manufacture; to learn about…
August 11, 2024Cleopatra, Queen of Kings
The coin depicts a profile of Queen Cleopatra VII. In the autumn of 34 BC, Alexandria was about to witness a grand celebration and an even greater event. Mark Antony, the Roman governor of the East, had come to Alexandria to meet his wife, Queen Cleopatra VII, and celebrate with her and their children his victories in the Armenian campaign…
June 14, 2024Antinopolis commemorative coins
In 130 AD, the Roman Emperor Hadrian was visiting Egypt as part of a large-scale tour of the eastern parts of his empire. Naturally, Hadrian took his "favorite" page, Antoninus, with him. Fate would have it that the page drowned in the Nile River, causing the emperor great sorrow. It was then that Hadrian decided to build a city…
March 8, 2024Damanhur Silver Treasure
Near the town of Damanhur, the capital of the Beheira Governorate, a small number of residents discovered a substantial hoard of silver coins in 1905. More than 8,000 silver coins of the "Tetradach" type were unearthed, most of them minted during the lifetime of Alexander the Great in the various cities he conquered throughout his historic campaign in the East. Unfortunately, the available information about…
March 3, 2024Public toilet tax
During the year 69 AD, the Roman general Vespasian was besieging Jerusalem to suppress a rebellion when he decided to entrust the siege to his son Titus so that he could go to Alexandria and from there to Rome to claim the contested imperial throne. In Alexandria, he received news of the defeat of his rival Vitellius and that the Senate had recognized him as emperor, and…
March 1, 2024Ashkelon coins through the ages
This article will examine examples of coins minted in Ashkelon throughout the ages: Philistine, Hellenistic, Roman, and Islamic. Ashkelon is one of the largest and oldest cities in Palestine on the Mediterranean coast. It is located 65 km west of Jerusalem. The Canaanites founded the city in the third millennium BC. 1- Philistine: Here we present a coin minted in Ashkelon during…
November 8, 2023The heaviest drachma minted in Alexandria has ever appeared in the world.
What is the heaviest drachma in the world, minted in Alexandria? Introduction: Egypt fell under Roman rule in 30 BC after the Battle of Actium, in which Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII clashed on one side, and Octavian and the Roman legions on the other. The end of the battle marked the beginning of the Roman province of Egypt…
August 17, 2023Striked in Egypt, the history behind the coin inscriptions
Under the title "Struck in Egypt," a cultural seminar was held on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at the Cairo Opera House. Organized by the Cairo Biography Initiative in cooperation with the Civilization Cinema Center, the seminar featured a lecture by numismatic researcher Professor Mohamed Abdel Hamid, who posed the question of how history can be discerned from the inscriptions on coins, and…
May 16, 2023A forged document for the sale of the coin of Julius Caesar's assassin
One of the rarest coins in the world, a replica of the Aurelius Brutus coin (the assassin of Julius Caesar), was sold with a forged title deed, and the seller was arrested! What happened? Richard Beale, owner and managing director of Roma Numismatics, was arrested…
March 13, 2023The Emperor God
The Emperor as God… The Reason for the Name: Why was the emperor called God? During the Roman Republic, the deification of rulers was unthinkable, but after the expansion eastward and the rise of the Roman Empire, and after Octavian became Augustus Caesar, the situation changed. The same thing had happened previously with the Greeks; before Alexander the Great's eastward expansions, the idea of…
November 29, 2022