Ancient gold coin

Ptolemy III: The Ambitious Pharaoh of Egypt

Ptolemy III of Egypt, also known as Ptolemy Euergetes, ruled Egypt from 246 to 222 BCE. As the third ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, he significantly expanded Egypt's territory and strengthened its economy. Ptolemy III’s reign marked a period of prosperity and military success, leaving a lasting legacy in ancient Egyptian history.

Early Life and Ascension

Ptolemy III was born into royalty as the son of Ptolemy II Philadelphus and Queen Arsinoe I. Groomed from birth to assume leadership, he was well-versed in statecraft, military strategy, and diplomacy. Ptolemy III took the throne when his father passed away in 246 BCE. H

Early Life and the Division of the Empire

Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, was one of the most influential figures in ancient history. His rise to power reshaped the region, and his leadership laid the foundation for a powerful Macedonian state. This blog will explore how he came to power, his key accomplishments, the challenges Macedonia faced during his reign, what eventually happened to him, and how he is remembered today.

How Philip II Came to Power

Born in 382 BC, Philip II was the youngest son of King Amyntas III. Political chaos shaped his early life as Macedonia faced external threats and internal instability. After the death of his brother, King

In history's annals, few figures are as enigmatic and influential as Roman Emperor Tiberius. Roman Emperor Tiberius's Legacy from AD 14 to 37 signified a vital era in the Roman Empire. Additionally, it was characterized by intricate politics, imperial ambitions, and a transformative period for Roman coinage.

Tiberius's path to the throne faced considerable challenges. He spent his early years as a soldier, gaining valuable military experience across Roman provinces. Unquestionably, his success in quelling revolts and vital roles in the Roman military paved his way to leadership.

Tiberius: The Man and the Emperor

In AD 4, Tiberius was recalled to Rome and named co-regent with Augustus. As a result of Augustus's AD 14 demise, Tiberius ascended the imperial throne. Consequently,

Easter is a significant time for Christians all over the world. Most importantly, it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. For coin collectors, it is an opportunity to explore the rare coins representing Jesus Christ throughout history. In this blog post, we will delve into the Byzantine and Medieval times. In addition, we will learn about the rare coins that represent Jesus Christ rising from the dead.

Byzantine Coins

The Byzantine Empire was the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east. Additionally, it produced a variety of coins with religious motifs. Among these are rare coins that depict

If you’re new to the rare coin industry, you may have a few questions about rare coins and their values. At Austin Rare Coins, we’re here to help collectors, buyers, and sellers alike. 4 common questions about rare coins we often are approached with that provide valuable insight into collecting rare coins are listed below.

What Are Rare Coin Values?

This question doesn’t always have a set answer, unfortunately. While certain coins are well-known to be valuable, such as Buffalo Nickels, many coins fluctuate in value. If you think you have a very rare and valuable coin, reach out to our team today. However, even though we do buy Modern Bullion Gold, Silver, Platinum & Palladium as well as rare U.S. & Ancient Coins, there is a $5,000 minimum. If you feel you are within our minimum parameters, call

Roman Emperor Caligula is remembered as being the cruelest roman emperor. No one can say exactly why he was so cruel. Some speculate, that it was because he fell ill of syphilis 6 month into his reign. Whatever the reason, he never recovered mentally and became a ruthless leader.

Caligula's cruelty lasted during his four-year reign from 37-41 AD. In fact, he became so ruthless that no one was safe, including his family. Some even refer to Caligula as the mad emperor. In short, his cruelty, sadism, extravagance, and sexual perversion was nothing short of the actions of an insane tyrant. For instance, he made his horse a member of the senate and slept with or killed every member of his own family.

There are others who believe Caligula's excessive cruelty is exaggerated

The world’s first coins were minted in ancient Lydia. Lydia's King Croesus became the first ruler to separate gold from other metals. He issued the world's first pure gold and pure silver coins. The Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire, took up the idea of coinage upon defeating King Croesus in 547 B.C. However, it wasn't until Alexander the Great of the Macedonian Empire, who conquered the Persian Empire, that the first international currency evolved. In fact, some believe that Alexander was the father of the first international currency.

Alexander ascended to the throne in 336 BC following the assassination of his father Philip II. He became king at the very young age of 20. In addition, Alexander adopted the Attic coinage standard. Unfortunately, Alexander spent his ruling years conducting lengthy military campaigns and really didn't get to enjoy his conquest much. He was always too busy conquering more lands throughout Western Asia and Egypt.

The Roman Empire began fragmenting in the 5th century AD. However, as the Western Empire fell in c. 376-476, the Eastern Roman Empire began to thrive. The name Byzantine Empire, or Byzantium became more popular than calling it the Eastern Roman Empire. There was also a clear power shift from Rome to the new capital city of Constantinople. In short, it was the beginning of a new era. The age when the Byzantine Empire Gold Solidus became a symbol of this new dynasty. One that would last for over a thousand years. Ultimately, falling to the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

Christianity became the official religion. This caused a major cultural shift. In addition, the official language changed from Latin to Greek. All of this, because the Eastern Orthodox church became the dominant power.

Many customers ask us, "What is the largest ancient gold coin?" We tell them, you’ve come to the right place! Only one ancient gold coin struck holds that title. The Gold Octodrachm was by far the largest gold coin ever struck in the ancient world. These heavy weights were a most common denomination of its day. Importantly, other large denominations like the tetradrachm (four drachms), the pentadrachm (five drachms) were also common. However, the Octodrachm (an eight-drachm coin) was the largest.

Gold Octodrachms were struck over 2,300 years ago. They were produced during the Hellenistic period in Ptolemaic Egypt. No other kingdom or empire in the ancient world comes close to producing such a large gold coin. Above all, Ancient Egypt was known to be a country of r

A gold coin of ancient Rome

What is a Gold Aureus? The Julius Caesar Gold Aureus was a gold coin of ancient Rome originally valued at 25 pure Silver Denarii. From the 1st century BC to the beginning of the 4th century AD the aureus was commonly struck. It later was replaced by the Solidus. This gold Aureus was struck Caesar during the Roman Republican period under Julius Caesar by Praetor A. Hirtius.

The aureus was heavier than the same size denarius because gold is more dense than silver. Before Julius Caesar became emperor of Rome the gold aureus wasn't very common. It was Caesar's extravagant spending and trying to gain favor with the social elitist that