This is the first volume (of three) of David Sear’s brand new introductory guide to ancient coins, covering Greek civic coins and tribal issues, and the very first release in Spink’s new Living History series.

Ancient coins have long fascinated generations of collectors by virtue of their beauty, the stories they tell, and for the unique insight they give into the history of the time in which they were made. They can be held, felt and examined without the need for visiting a museum – they are, quite literally, living history.

David Sear’s three volume guide is intended to give a general background to the fascinating world of ancient coins, looking back more than 26 centuries to the lands of the eastern Mediterranean, at how coins were designed and produced, and at how they can reveal so much to us today of the time in which they were produced.

David Sear is among the most notable numismatic authors writing today; his seminal texts have become the standard handbooks for collectors of ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine coinage. His Introductory Guide is intended as an approachable and informative introduction to the hobby, and is a must for anyone interested in the history of the ancient Greek and Roman world.