Roman silver treasure discovered in Germany

An amateur archaeologist has discovered a massive hoard of 934 Roman silver denarii near Wesseling, Germany. The find, made using a metal detector, is considered the largest known coin treasure from the era of Emperor Hadrian in present-day Germany and is ranked as the fifth largest such collection discovered globally.

The treasure, weighing approximately 3.1 kilograms, was found in a field south of Cologne. Archaeologists from the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege im Rheinland (LVR-ABR) noted that the coins were likely stored in a straw-lined container.

Of particular historical interest is the chronological span of the coins, which covers over 270 years. The oldest coin dates back to 148 BC during the Roman Republic, while the most recent was minted around 124/125 AD. This indicates that older coins remained valid currency in the Roman monetary system for centuries. The collection is currently being processed at the LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn.