by CoinWeek…
Archaeologists have announced the discovery of a substantial hoard of nearly 1,500 ancient Roman silver coins near the village of Letca Veche, approximately 25 miles southwest of Bucharest. Uncovered by a local metal detectorist, the find ranks among the largest Roman coin hoards ever recorded in Romania.
The discoverer, Mihai Popescu, located the Roman coin hoard during a routine search. The hoard comprises 1,469 Roman silver denarii, estimated to be nearly 2,000 years old. The coins span a century of Roman history, from the reign of Emperor Nero (54 CE) to Marcus Aurelius (161 CE), and depict the images of nearly a dozen emperors.
Popescu found the coins within fragments of a ceramic vessel, likely broken before burial. It is also possible that the Roman coin hoard may have been deliberately concealed.
Following the discovery, Popescu reported the find to local authorities, adhering to Romanian legal requirements. The site has been secured for further study.
Romanian authorities have transferred the Roman coin hoard to the Giurgiu County Directorate for Culture for study and evaluation. They are expected to be displayed at the Teohari Antonescu County Museum in Giurgiu, where they will be accessible to the public.
This find offers valuable insights into the economy and society of Roman Dacia, illuminating the Roman Empire’s presence in the region. Under Romanian law, individuals who report such discoveries are eligible for a reward of up to 45% of the hoard’s assessed value, recognizing their role in preserving cultural heritage.
Is there going to be a publication of this hoard? I’d be interested to see if the Nero mentioned in the article was an outlier, or if there was a fair percentage of earlier Denarii involved.
I also hope that there will be more information about these coins in the future. It would be interesting to know the breakdown of how many of each emperor, and if there are any new types among them.
I would love to see a video of the coins on display. They are a true hoard. I wonder if any will be going through restoration?