Kolomna archaeologists find record hoard of 2,600 medieval silver coins

Archaeologists in Kolomna, Russia, have discovered a massive hoard of more than 2,600 medieval silver coins. Found during rescue excavations by the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the collection is described as the largest intact Russian coin hoard known from the first half of the 15th century.

The coins, identified as silver dengi, were found inside a small, decorated ceramic jug buried in a shallow pit near the local Kremlin. The assemblage provides significant insight into the monetary economy of the period, as the coins overwhelmingly belong to the reigns of Grand Prince Vasily I Dmitrievich and his son, Vasily II Vasilyevich.

Notably, the find includes numerous rare silver coins minted locally in Kolomna during the final years of Vasily I’s reign. Researchers have identified over 350 specimens of previously unknown coin varieties, some of which are not present in major Russian numismatic museum collections.