“Just as one can gaze at the Pantheon and imagine it filled with worshipers clad in togas nearly two thousand years ago, a coin from ancient Rome holds the same power to transport its handler back to when it would have been exchanged as simple currency.”

About Classics Club

Latin and Greek students at Belmont Hill spend a great deal of time reading ancient texts and grappling with the documentary evidence that they present.  Ancient coins represent an opportunity to learn about Greek and Roman history through material culture – tangible artifacts.  The words and images on coins offer insight into the political and social history of ancient cultures.  They can be thought of as portable works of art, serving individuals or states in their efforts to distribute propaganda, reinforce ideology, honor achievements, and more.

The curation of this exhibit over the past year has been a hands-on interdisciplinary exercise.  It has required original research and collaboration with faculty members and staff along with professional curators at area museums.  The Classics Club invites you to examine our collection and follow the scan codes to our research on our website.

Why Collect Coins?

People collect ancient coins for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the coins are often made up of valuable metals. Most commonly, Roman and Greek coins are made up of silver. Coins also often derive value from their rarity. For example, a coin is more desirable if it is one of few coins remaining from a time period or geographical area. Ancient coins can also give a feeling of connection to ancient times, as coins can serve as a physical manifestation of history. Coins often hold historical significance based on the imagery on the coin or where the coin was found. It is remarkable to think that centuries ago someone was holding the same coins and admiring them in the same way people do today.

Coins as Material Culture

Material culture allows people to admire civilizations through tangible relics of their respective eras. Just as one can gaze at the Pantheon and imagine it filled with worshipers clad in togas nearly two thousand years ago, a coin from ancient Rome holds the same power to transport its handler back to when it would have been exchanged as simple currency. By merely looking at them, one witnesses physical evidence of something they have generally learned about only through words and text. Though nations rise and fall, a piece of their culture remains in what they left behind. It is easy to understand and study people of the past, yet to see and feel something which has outlived its creators for hundreds, if not thousands of years offers an experience that cannot be paralleled.