From an Athenian owl to a gold stater or an Alexander tetradrachm, Greek coins are prized as much for their artistry as their silver. We identify the city or ruler, weigh the metal, grade the strike, and advise honestly on provenance and authenticity.
There is a strong UK market and you sell in pounds by insured post. Written valuation. Free insured postage. Paid in 72 hours.
Ancient Greek coinage is where the art of the coin begins. Struck by hundreds of independent city-states and, later, the Hellenistic kingdoms, these pieces carry gods, heroes, animals and eventually the first lifelike ruler portraits — engraved by hand, one die at a time. Collectors value them as miniature sculpture, which is why two coins of the same type and weight can sell for wildly different sums depending on the quality of the engraving and how well the coin survives.
We buy Greek gold, electrum, silver and bronze across the archaic, classical and Hellenistic periods. Because there was no single monetary standard across the Greek world — Athens, Corinth, Aegina, Rhodes and the kingdoms each used their own weights — the first task is always to place a coin: which city or ruler struck it, in what denomination, and when. Only then can it be valued properly.
Certain issues are famous in their own right and drive much of the demand:
The great silver tetradrachm of Athens — the helmeted head of Athena on one side, her owl on the other. Struck in enormous numbers on the Attic standard of about 17.2 grams, it is the most recognisable of all Greek coins and always in demand.
The silver tetradrachms and gold staters struck in the name of Alexander III circulated across the ancient world and were copied for generations. Widely collected, they range from affordable worn pieces to superb high-relief examples.
Beyond these, the coinages of Corinth, Syracuse and the Greek cities of Sicily and southern Italy, the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, and countless smaller mints all have their followings. You do not need to know which you have — identifying the coin is our job.
Greek denominations are built around the silver drachm, with fractions and multiples above and below it, plus gold and electrum for higher values:
| Denomination | Metal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stater | Gold / silver / electrum | The "standard" coin; weight varied by city standard |
| Tetradrachm | Silver | Four drachms — the largest common silver piece; the "owl" is one |
| Drachm | Silver | The core unit; roughly a skilled worker's daily wage in antiquity |
| Obol | Silver | One-sixth of a drachm; tiny fractional silver |
| Hekte | Electrum / gold | One-sixth of a stater; early high-value coinage |
| Bronze (AE) | Bronze | Everyday small change; valued on rarity and condition, not metal |
Electrum — a natural gold-and-silver alloy used by the earliest mints — sits between gold and silver in value and is assessed on its precious-metal content and rarity.
Ancient Greek coins were not struck or used in Britain, so unlike Roman coins or medieval hammered coins they are almost never dug from British soil, and the Treasure Act rarely applies to them here. What matters instead is provenance — the coin's collecting history — and, where relevant, cultural-property and export rules.
Anything that documents where a coin has been — an old collection ticket, a dealer's invoice, an auction catalogue entry, ideally showing it in a collection before 1970 (the reference date recognised across the trade following the 1970 UNESCO Convention) — supports both the sale and the value. Many legitimate coins have long been in British and European collections with only partial paperwork, and that is normal; send what you have and tell us what you know. We buy only coins that are lawfully held, and where documentation or export questions arise we say so plainly rather than press a sale.
Because they are beautiful and valuable, Greek coins have been copied for centuries — from old cast forgeries to convincing modern fakes, and genuine coins that have been tooled or smoothed to look better than they are. We authenticate by weight, dimensions, fabric, style and strike, comparing against reference material, and grade condition honestly. If you have any doubt about a coin, email clear photographs of both faces and the edge before posting and we will give you an honest read at no cost — there is never any pressure to send.
Each coin is identified — city or ruler, denomination, metal and type — then any precious metal is weighed and the condition and artistry graded. Gold and electrum carry a metal floor; silver and bronze are driven by rarity, strike and preservation. You receive a written, itemised valuation in pounds. If your Greek coins are part of a wider holding, our coin valuation guide covers the whole process and selling a coin collection explains mixed lots. For the other great ancient coinage see sell Roman coins.
Tell us roughly what you have — "a silver owl" or "a box of Greek coins" is plenty. We email a free prepaid, tracked and insured label the same working day.
Include any old tickets, invoices or catalogue references you have. Leave surfaces untouched, wrap coins so they can't rub, and post — insured to £5,000 from the first scan.
We email a unique parcel code and your opening time. Your parcel is opened on camera and photographed before a specialist identifies and authenticates each coin.
Each coin itemised — city or ruler, denomination, metal, condition and figure, all in pounds. Accept what you want to sell; the rest returns free. Paid within 72 hours, or we add 3%.
If your question isn't here, call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk. We respond within one working day.
Get your free label →Yes, provided the coins are lawfully held. Ancient Greek coins are collected all over the world and there is a healthy UK market for them. Because they were not struck or circulated in Britain, they are almost never dug from British soil, so the Treasure Act rarely applies to them in the way it does to Roman or medieval finds. What matters instead is provenance — how the coin entered a collection — and authenticity. Send what you have with any old tickets, invoices or catalogue references, and we will identify each coin, value it and be straight about anything that affects the sale.
Usually not. The Treasure Act 1996 deals with objects found in the ground in the UK, and ancient Greek coins were not used here, so they are not typically UK finds. They generally reached this country through collecting rather than the soil. The relevant considerations are therefore provenance and export or cultural-property rules rather than Treasure. If a Greek coin genuinely were unearthed in Britain — unusual, but not impossible for a stray import loss — the current find rules could apply: Treasure law is more detailed than a simple age or coin-count test, covering traditional groups of coins at least 300 years old and, since 2023, a significance-based category for certain metal objects and coins more than 200 years old, with potential Treasure reported through the current official reporting process. Scotland operates a separate Treasure Trove system and regional rules differ, so a Finds Liaison Officer or gov.uk/treasure would be the place to check.
It ranges enormously. A worn bronze or a modest silver drachm is an affordable, entry-level piece; a well-preserved silver tetradrachm such as an Athenian owl commands a strong premium; and fine gold or electrum staters, or celebrated artistic issues, can be very valuable. Value is driven by the city or ruler, the denomination and metal, the quality of the engraving and, above all, condition and eye appeal. Greek coins are prized as miniature sculpture, so a beautifully struck, well-centred example can far outrun a tired one of the same type.
Greek coins are among the most widely forged of all collectables, from old cast copies to sophisticated modern fakes and tooled or smoothed genuine coins. We authenticate by weight, dimensions, fabric, style and strike, comparing against reference material, and we grade condition honestly. If a coin is already recorded by a recognised service or auction house that supports it. If you are unsure whether a coin is genuine, email clear photographs of both sides and the edge before sending, and we will give you an honest opinion at no cost.
No. As with all ancient coins, cleaning tends to destroy value rather than add it. Original surfaces, toning on silver and stable patina on bronze are part of what collectors pay for, and polishing or dipping leaves permanent damage that a specialist spots at once. Leave the coin exactly as it came to you, handle it by the edge, and send it as it is. If a coin looks dirty and you are tempted to improve it, don't — show us a photo first and we will advise.
Request your free label today. Each coin identified and authenticated, valued on metal, rarity and artistry. Written valuation. Paid within 72 hours — or we add 3%.
Also see: Coin valuation · Sell Roman coins · Sell hammered coins