A detectorist found 10,000 Roman coins

Nearly ten thousand Roman coins were discovered by a metal detectorist in Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire). He found the treasure three years ago, and the media has now reported on it. The money was probably hidden by someone in the third century when the riots broke out.

A UK prospector found exactly 9,724 coins with a metal detector in the spring of 2018. They were Roman coins, which were made of a copper alloy. They were found in two ceramic vessels. They were nested inside each other in a similar way to Russian dolls.

According to experts, the coins were hidden by someone in the third century AD when unrest broke out due to troubles in the empire. Crisis and political instability began at the time of the succession of emperors. The defences against external enemies were also reduced.

The treasure was in the mud. When it was found, it was taken to the British Museum, where it was handled by local numismatic experts. Liaison officer Helen Fowler said the finder first discovered one copper coin.

"Then he discovered more and more coins as his detector gave a signal. As the signal grew stronger, the number of coins he found increased. By the end of the day, the prospector had a nice pile of coins," Fowler said of the treasure find.

The detectorist had permission from the landowner to search. He covered the site and reported the find. Fowler and her colleague Andrew Brown of the British Museum spent the next two days digging for the treasure. "The coins were housed in two ceramic vessels that were nested inside each other like the famous Russian matryoshkas," Fowler added.

She believes that the inner pot began to crack under the weight of the coins, which is why it was put into a second pot.

Experts have also already determined what period the coin dates from. It's between 251 and 74 AD. It is believed that they were hidden after the reconquest of the breakaway Gallic Empire.

A new depot containing nearly 10,000 Roman coins has been declared a treasure by the coroner. However, the valuation of the hoard is still pending. Two Cambridgeshire museums have already expressed an interest in the hoard.

Source: www.bbc.com