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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.
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An archaeology aficionado discovered more than 900 coins that were minted during the reign of Emperor Hadrian; according to archaeologists, they are unique in their type
·Vicente López, Argentina
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Near the German city of Wesseling, 934 Roman silver denarii were found, reported by local media.
The discovery, made in a field south of Cologne, consists of 934 denarii that were buried almost 2,000 years ago and weigh together about 3.1 kilos
·Madrid, Spain
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Germany’s largest Hadrianic coin hoard unearthed near Wesseling
Archaeologists in Germany have uncovered an extraordinary hoard of 934 Roman silver coins near Wesseling, making it the largest coin hoard dating to the reign of Emperor Hadrian ever discovered in the country and the fifth largest of its kind worldwide. - HeritageDaily
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