Amateur archaeologist finds Germany’s biggest hoard of ancient Roman silver coins
Experts say the 934 denarii were likely buried deliberately in Hadrian’s reign, and the hoard is now on display in Bonn.
- On Tuesday, the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn displayed 934 Roman silver denarii discovered near Wesseling, south of Cologne—the largest Hadrian-era treasure ever found in Germany. Amateur archaeologist Oliver Riedl unearthed the hoard after his metal detector signaled repeatedly.
- The coins date primarily from the Flavian era , though the oldest was minted in 148 B.C. The Cologne region was under Roman control from 39 B.C. to A.D. 459, when General Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa established a military outpost.
- Weighing 3.1 kilograms , the hoard represents extraordinary wealth for its era. Research associate Rahel Otte noted a legionary would need to save all disposable income for six years to amass such a fortune.
- Experts believe the hoard was intentionally buried in the 2nd century A.D. State archaeologist Erich Classen suggested, "Of course, we can only speculate about the motives, but it's very likely that someone wanted to keep this money safe."
- While recent years have seen Roman-era discoveries across Europe, including finds in England and Poland, this Wesseling hoard remains unique in its scope. Treasure troves from ancient times are not uncommon, yet few match this discovery's extent.
133 Articles
133 Articles
934 silver coins found: questions over Germany's biggest Roman hoard
In autumn 2025, a father from the Rhineland only meant to briefly sweep a field near Wesseling, south of Cologne, with his metal detector. Then it beeped and he unearthed a Roman silver coin – and it was not the only one.
934 Roman silver coins found in a field in Germany have been recorded as the largest coin hoard from the Hadrianic period in the country.
A treasure consisting of 934 Roman silver coins was discovered on a field near Wesseling, in western Germany, by a man who used a metal detector. Comora, one of the largest of this kind discovered in the country, would have been buried nearly 1,900 years ago during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.
An individual, armed with a metal detector, updated this lot dating from the 2nd century by searching a field. An authorized practice in North Rhine-Westphalia but which revulses archaeologists.
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