Treasure Unearthed: A remarkable cache of Roman coins found

A substantial cache of ancient Roman coins has been unearthed in central England by construction crews during a contemporary building project. The workers accidentally discovered the historical treasure while excavating the site.

The treasure stash includes 1,368 coins and has become known as the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard, a nod to the county where the old coins were unearthed in late 2023.  

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The coins are an interesting mix of old and new with some being dated to the period of the Roman Republic in 157 BC up to the reign of Emperor Nero between 54–68 AD. 

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"The Hoard is one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Worcestershire in the last 100 years," Museums Worcestershire, explained about the incredible discovery. 

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The majority of the coins are denarii but a single Iron Age gold stater coin appears to be something minted for a local British tribe, the Dobunni, who lived in the area at the time.

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According to Museums Worcestershire, the ancient coins were buried in a pot crafted in pottery kilns located at the foot of Malvern Hills, which was very close to a Roman fort. 

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The coins are believed to have been brought to Britain by the Roman army since their value represented a considerable amount of money at the time the coins were buried. 

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One theory put forth to explain the coin hoard suggests that they were the savings of a wealthy farmer who earned them supplying the Roman army with grain and livestock. 

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The coin hoard was assembled and buried at a time when Worcestershire and Malvern Hills lay “right at the edge of an expanding Empire”, Museums Worcestershire noted. 

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Research into the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard has been led by British Archeologist Murray Andrews, who noted they were buried no more than a decade after the Claudian invasion of Britain in 43 AD. 

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“It’s a remarkable discovery, and sheds important new light on the Roman Conquest – a time of conflict and change at the beginnings of British history,” Andrews was quoted as saying by London College University (UCL). 

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In 2024, the Worcestershire Conquest Hoard was declared a treasure hoard, meaning it could Museums Worcestershire was hoping to acquire the coins, which had been valued at a price of roughly £100,000 ($180,000). 

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Photo Credit: Facebook @worcestercityartgalleryandmuseum