We Appraise Ancient Coins. We Buy Ancient Coins. We Sell Ancient Coins.

PGS Certified Ancient Coin Buyers

We are certified ancient coin dealers and professional numismatists available for ancient coin appraisals. We are a certified NGC coin dealer with an established, long-standing relationship with NGC, the premier third-party independent grading company of ancient coins.

Investors and coin collectors buy ancient coins, and sell ancient coins through PGS Gold & Coin with the highest level of confidence.

Ancient coins are thousands of years old. Although they were crudely produced, ancient civilization coinage is still revered for its intricate design work. Collectors of ancient coins seek out the oldest, most beautiful, and unique ancient gold and silver coins that they can afford to acquire for their personal collections. You can buy ancient gold coins, ancient silver coins, and rare ancient coins in any price range at PGS Chicago coin shops.

America is a relatively young country with most coinage ranging from 100 to 200 years old, in contrast, ancient coins were produced and circulated during ancient civilizations dating as far back as 600 BC! Ancient coins were used for both trade and propaganda. Ancient coin collectors marvel at these beautiful, miniature works of art, and the overall rarity of these rarities. Ancient coins are more affordable to own than you expect, depending on your personal preferences & areas of interest.

Historical Timeline of Ancient Coins

Archaic Period 800-480 BC

The dawn of coinage occurred during this period and was integral in fueling both commerce and trade. This period of human history saw dramatic population growth and a rapid expansion of commerce. The rise in population brought with it the settlement of new towns along the Mediterranean and Black Sea coastlines. The Archaic Period ended when the Persian King Xerxes invaded Greece in roughly 480 BC.

610-565 BC Electrum Coinage of King Alyattes

As coinage became more widespread and accepted, more intricate obverse designs, such as animals, were employed. Coinage continued to be struck using electrum. The example to left shows a roaring lion with a rising sun in the background. Electrum continued to be the only metal used in coinage until the process of refining gold & silver was perfected.

The Classic Period 500-323 BC

This period of human history greatly influenced the foundations of modern Western Civilization. Much of today’s modern political, artistic, architectural, and scientific thought derives from this period of Greek history. The Classical Period ended with the death of Alexander the Great around 323 B.C. Shown below are some noteworthy and most popular coins of the era.

 478-407 BC Athenian Silver Owls

These large Silver coins were produced in large quantities and were widely circulated. They are also one of the more popular Ancient coins available today. Their quality varies widely and those with a bold, well-centered strike on the front and back are extremely desirable.

359-323 BC Philip II Gold Stater

This remarkable and intricate gold coin was issued during and after the reign of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. There is no question the artist who carved these dies was one of the finest of his time. These coins were not only used as money, but also as propaganda.

336-323 BC Alexander the Great Silver Tetradrachm

These hefty silver coins were issued during and after the reign of Alexander the Great and are without question one of the most popular of all Ancients. These coins were issued in large quantities around 2,300 years ago and most known survivors are heavily worn. Mint state examples are in high demand and treasured by collectors today.

336-323 BC Alexander the Great Gold Stater

Gold coinage issued during and after the reign of Alexander the Great is extremely popular in today’s market. Coins preserved in mint state condition are highly sought after and seldom found.

Hellenistic Period 323-146 BC

The Hellenistic Period began when Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C. After his death, the kingdom was divided into three main divisions comprised of Egypt, Asia Minor and Macedonia. Greek influence continued to spread throughout the region and this influence was portrayed in the coinage being produced at the time. In many instances, portraits of the actual rulers were used in the design, as in the examples below.

221-205 BC Ptolemy III Gold Octodrachm

Ptolemy III was the grandson of Ptolemy I, the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty. 

305-281 BC Lysimachus Tetradrachm

After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., one of his own personal guards, Lysimachus, was involved in the struggle over the empire. The coinage of Lysimachus pays homage to his fallen leader, as the obverse portrait is believed to be that of Alexander himself.

Post-Hellenistic Period 146-30 BC

120-63 BC In the 2nd to 1st centuries BC, Rome conquered Greece piece by piece until, with the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC, the Roman Empire controlled the Mediterranean. Roman art and literature were imposed upon Hellenistic models.

49-48 BC Julius Caesar Silver Denarius

This silver coin was issued during the reign of Julius Caesar and depicts an elephant trampling a serpent, thought to symbolize the Roman Empire defeating the Greek dissidents.

If you want to buy ancient coins, ancient gold coins, ancient silver coins, or other rare coins, call or visit our retail coin shops to speak with a certified ancient coin expert. We are your source for the ancient coins you want to acquire for your coin collection. If you want to sell an ancient coin or ancient coin collection, we offer no-risk coin appraisals for ancient coins, rare coins, US coins, foreign coins, gold coins, silver coins, antique coins, as well as old paper money US currency and world currency.