Sinope, Turkey 1979

​

I am a US Army Veteran, Student of Classical Archaeology,  Conservator of Classical Athenian culture and the culture of the Roman Republic and Empire.

​

​

​

​

I am a Californian by choice and Southern by the grace of God!  I was born in Alabama, raised in Florida and lived all around the world. My father was career Army so we traveled!   After school I enlisted into the United States Army and soon after was recruited by Intelligence Security Command.   My first assignment was 12 months at a remote intelligence posting in eastern Turkey on the Black Sea overlooking the ancient city of Sinope (it has since been declassified so I am allowed now to show as well as tell you now).    I had collected American coins since I was about 10 years old.  In Turkey is where I discovered ancient coins and realized how boring my US coins were.  The Turkish shop keepers would always invite me in to sit and drink Cay (pronounced Chia) with them.  The buildings the shops were located in were around 2,000 years old and I started noticing little piles of ancient coins, covered in thick layers of dust, in the corners of most shops.  I discovered that these coins were dug up while the shop keepers hoed vegetable gardens out behind their shops.  These coins were like “weeds” to them.  40 years ago a carton of Marlboros was like gold to the old shop keepers.  I am sure they laughed when telling friends about the American soldier that would trade Marlboros for a few dozen “junk” coins.    It’s been over 40 years now and my addiction to classical coins and artifacts has never cooled.  I semi-retired and moved west to San Diego in 2013.   I stay busy enough with my artifact conservation and classical numismatics.

​

​

“Ancient coins are a time machine that allows you hold and experience any part of history that you desire”.